


When the World Comes Crumbling Down (I've got you to piece it back together again)

by charma_10, lower_case_d



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst and Humor, F/M, M/M, Merlin Modern AU, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-18
Updated: 2011-08-18
Packaged: 2017-10-22 18:19:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 32,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/241114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charma_10/pseuds/charma_10, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lower_case_d/pseuds/lower_case_d
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern AU. When Merlin Emrys meets developer-turned-bass player Arthur Pendragon at his cousin Gawain's family pub, he decides pretty quickly that he needs to be kept at arms length. Merlin discovers that sometimes, it’s those you want to stay away from who are the people that you find you need like oxygen, and your peers, the people should be able to rely on for understanding, are the ones who will try to take you down. Sometimes, a storm will drown you before it devours everyone else. Other times, you’ll be the last one to let go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to our beta flypaw who did more work than should have been necessary (any remaining mistakes are our own), our cheerleader surrendipitous, our artist thepowerofme, and anyone who was there to help us out. You've all been fantastic.
> 
> Thepowerofme did amazing art for us. It is embedded as well as here: http://thepowerofme.livejournal.com/3338.html Enjoy!
> 
> For: Merlin Big Bang 2011
> 
> Disclaimer: We do not own Merlin.

Chapter One

The bar was busy, as it always was on a Saturday night, packed with the usual mixed crowd of dressed-up locals, drinking and chatting amongst themselves. Merlin couldn’t help but wish he was anywhere else. He loved his cousin - loved the pub - but with an impending exam on Monday morning, he wanted nothing more than to be curled up in his bed, going over his notes on National Jurisdiction in preparation. He knew he was taking a huge risk and picking a controversial topic by incorporating magic law and its ostracising nature, but it was so important to him. He flexed his fingers slightly around his pen and felt it heat up as he expended a little of his magical energy. He’d been born with it, magic, but it wasn’t something he made a big deal out of.

While the laws now accommodated magic users for the most part, there were still people out there who felt threatened or not ready or willing to accept those differently-abled people who lived alongside them. He glanced around himself at the patrons milling around the bar, noting that everyone seemed happy with their drinks, so he reached under the counter and pulled out the textbook he’d hidden there as he’d started his shift earlier in the evening.

The text of the heavy book was smudged from studying the same chapter over and over-- Merlin was somewhat of a perfectionist when it came to that-- so he was forced to relocate himself to the back corner of the bar where the light didn’t blink as brightly to the low bass of the band about to go on stage. Avalon were regular performers at The King‘s Head, and even though he was loathe to admit it, Merlin liked their music; found himself singing along under his breath more often than not. Tonight though, he was focusing intently on his study. He _wasn’t_ going to get distracted.

As the band kicked off and the crowd started to congregate around the tiny stage at the other end of the bar, Merlin picked up his pen to mark his book - a necessary and terrible habit he had despite the fact that he internally cringed every time he defiled the pages.

“Merlin!” Merlin pulled his eyes from the page.

“I don’t pay you to let you live upstairs or sit and study in a corner on the busiest night of the week!” Gawain said with a laugh, giving him a light shove on the shoulder. Merlin glared.

“No one’s _at_ the bar, Gawain. They won’t be until Avalon finishes the first half of their set. You know what these lot are like with them: totally mesmerised by the pretty. None of them would even consider stopping their gawking for the two minutes it takes to get another drink.” Merlin readjusted himself further into the booth. “I’ll go back in a few, yeah? Do you _want_ me to fail my exam and be stuck with me forever?”

“Nah, you’re probably right, but I need the glasses cleaned and I don’t wanna prune up my finger tips. Hot date later tonight that I’ll be needing them for.” Gawain slid into the booth and gave Merlin an eyebrow wiggle. Merlin slammed his book shut and rolled his eyes.

“Ugh, too much information,” he said. “Girl or guy this time?”

“Both.”

“How... oh... waaay too much information.”

“Come on big M it’s the best of both worlds, can’t deny that,” Gawain said.

“It’s a testament to how ambiguous your sexual preferences are that I’m not surprised you would think that.”

“Just because you like to limit yourself to the world of cock doesn’t mean you have the right to rain on my parade, you shit,” Gawain replied with a hint of a laugh.

“You taking the dusty motorcycle for a spin then?” Merlin asked.

Gawain winked. “Easiest way to impress someone you want to have sex with. I’d offer to let you borrow it if I didn’t already know you’ve made a vow of abstinence. It’s currently minus a tyre, however, so I’ll be taking the beast if that’s okay with you.”

“I wouldn’t need you to help me get laid. I have natural charms. I‘ll have you know that I‘ve been told I‘m great in bed, _thank you very much_. And anyway, you should be nicer to me if you want to borrow my car.”

Gawain guffawed loud enough that the girls in the table next to them jumped and looked over. “Mhmm, and when’s the last time you had any action big--”

“Oi,” came a familiar deep voice. “Watch your damn mouths. There’s a lady present!”

“Hi Gwance,” Merlin and Gawain replied at the same time, turning to face their newly arrived friends.

“I still can’t get over the fucking awesomeness of the name squish,” Lance laughed. Gwen was already slightly flushed, her cheeks pink, clearly having had a few drinks before showing up to watch Avalon’s performance.

“Should we dance?” Gwen asked Merlin shyly-- Lance and Gawain were terrible dancers so Gwen was limited to always dragging Merlin to the dance floor. This was only acceptable for Lance because Merlin didn’t like women and tended not to grind against her--unless he was drunk, then anything was possible, however Lance usually excused him.

“Actually, genius bookworm here was just about to go do dishes,” Gawain said, giving Merlin a significant look while shoving a towel into his arms.

“He’s an abusive person,” Lance replied. “I’d offer to clean the stuff but I don’t get paid.”

“I can only afford one helper; who isn’t actually _being_ very helpful at the moment,” Gawain interrupted.

“Exam on Monday?” Gwen asked.

“National jurisdiction. It’s worth thirty percent of my final mark, and the lecturer is a total berk when it comes to the magical population,” Merlin said, returning Gawain’s suggestive look with a playful glare.

“You’re such a drama queen, cuz. Go and make yourself useful,” Gawain snapped. “I’m gonna pull drinks, which earns money so that I can pay you to read your textbooks.”

The band mumbled something and the drummer snapped his sticks together four times to catch everyone’s attention. Lance and Gwen turned to face them with sparkling eyes and grins to match.

“You guys should really have a cover fee,” Lance shouted over suddenly loud music. “Avalon is a kick ass band that people would pay to see every week.”

“You know I don’t believe in that,” Gawain answered.

“You’d be filthy rich,” Gwen pointed out observantly.

“And we’d likely lose the pub when we get sued for allowing a band without a proper license,” Merlin said.

“Way to kill the mood,” Lance hissed when the group fell silent and each of them parted to go their separate ways. Gawain into the crowd for some schmoozing, Lance in the direction of an acquaintance who suddenly appeared out of thin air, Gwen blending into a group of girls, and Merlin to the bar with a begrudging grunt of frustration.

***********************

Freya, the other part-time bartender, kept him company by sitting on the counter and chatting to him as he washed up. Freya was a small woman, with doe-like eyes and a calming presence. She’d been at The King’s Head for a year and was studying to be a primary teacher, something Merlin could see her doing well.

“I’m not sure why he feels the need to shout so much in their songs,” Freya said, holding her hand out for another dish to dry. “I’ve heard him actually sing and he’s got a perfectly lovely voice.”

“I think they’re trying to appeal to the younger crowd,” Merlin said.

“There really isn’t all that much of a younger crowd here. Everyone is older than your cousin and that’s saying something,” Freya piped up.

“ _We’re_ not older than my cousin,” Merlin replied, flicking water at her. She squealed and whipped him back.

“We don’t count, Merlin. We work here. It’s not like we get to enjoy the surroundings that often,” she said, racing around the other side of the counter and away from him.

“You enjoy looking at Will and he’s here enough that he’s practically part of the furniture,” Merlin replied, attempting to spray her with the drink nozzle and catching one of the regulars in the crossfire.

Their water fight proceeded to distract them until the band called out the next set and the bass guitarist stepped forward for his weekend solo. He was wearing jeans, with a white belt that was clearly only there for show, considering how low the jeans were lying on his hips and a red v-necked t-shirt that hugged him like a second layer of skin. His hair was getting longer each week, and tonight, the dirty blonde strands fell across his eyes and curled at the nape of his neck.

  
[   
](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&current=Arthurplayingbassfinsm.jpg)   


Merlin stopped long enough to hum a few bars and admire the skill.

Freya was next to him swaying gently to the slow beat of the piece. Most people were approaching the bar for another round and the music was quickly forgotten in favor of mixing cocktails and pulling beers.

****************************************

After what seemed like hours, Merlin heard the band finally shouting that the evening was coming to an end. He sighed in relief, blinked away the sweat that rolled into his eyes, and went about polishing the glass wear.

“So, how’d we sound tonight?” Merlin startled from his duty, glaring at the blonde man in front of him, his hair stuck to his forehead with sweat.

“Your lead singer shouts too much,” he said, bored, and went back to polishing the glass cradled in his hand.

“Honestly, that’s a little rude, Merlin,” Arthur replied, placing a hand over his heart in mock- indignation, but he was smiling, crooked teeth pearly white against his stretched-thin, pink lips, “I thought we sounded the best we ever have, but it’s because of my new bass I think.”

“Pompous supercilious arse,” Merlin muttered into the steam coming from the tiny dishwasher.

“What was that?”

Merlin put on a mock smile, “Oh, nothing. What’ll it be tonight?”

“Cosmo, thanks.”

“What’s with the frilly ones mate?” a drunk voice came from down the bar. “You’re always getting them all fruity and shit.”

Merlin rolled his eyes and started combining Arthur’s cocktail. “Will, this doesn’t concern you.”

“You’re my- _hic_ \- friend Merlin,” Will said, eyes darting to the blonde, “and he’s bothering you.”

“I’m not bothering him. Right, Merlin?”

Arthur tossed his head, his hair left several spatters of sweat on the counter which Merlin glared at until he was certain Arthur caught his meaning before saying, “actually, you are and Will, I’m not your friend just because I mix your drinks-”

“Only _you_ make them right though. That other twat- _hic_ \- sucks, I always gotta order beer with him cause you can’t fuck up a beer,” Will slurred into his glass. A thoughtful look crossed his face as he pondered something and both Merlin and Arthur looked at him, waiting.

“Actually,” Will finally said, jabbing a finger towards Merlin. “You _can_ cock up a beer.”

“I don’t see how,” Arthur scoffed, taking a sip of the drink Merlin had placed in front of him, his gaze locking onto Merlin’s. Merlin rolled his eyes and took the till out of the register to start counting money, ignoring the brewing argument between Arthur and Will.

“You wouldn’t know though would you, you frilly drink ordering girl,” Will slurred.

Merlin took that as his sudden opportunity to save Will from himself. He flipped the bar gate up and slipped through to Will, taking his friend’s arm and putting it around his shoulder before hauling him up and guiding him towards a door at the side of the pub.

“Do you need a hand?” Arthur asked, getting up, but Merlin waved him off.

“I’m fine. I do this at least twice a week,” Merlin replied, wrenched the door open, and not-so-gently tugged Will to the curb, where he promptly collapsed into a heap at Merlin’s feet, mumbled something, and then bent over to throw up in the gutter.

“You sure you don’t need help?” came a voice from the doorway.

“Of course I don’t.” He bent over to readjust Will so he didn’t puke on himself. “Just bugger off yeah?”

“I’ll watch the money you left out on the counter instead,” Arthur said.

“You’re such a girl,” Will managed between heaves.

“Who?” Merlin rubbed his back.

“That fruit drink - _hic_ \- man,” Will bit out.

“Honestly Will, you can’t go around calling everyone women.” Merlin sighed. “Alright, come on, get up, we still have a flight of stairs to tackle.”

It was a chore to make it up the stairs with Will half-stumbling, half-falling the entire way. Merlin was just barely able to prevent him from tumbling back down and breaking his neck with the assistance of his magic which had reached out thrice to steady the side Merlin wasn’t assisting.

They made it to the door relatively unscathed - Will had caught his shirt on a protruding nail and ripped a good sized chunk, but other than that, nothing else untoward happened.

“I can make it from here,” Will slurred, head tipping precariously forward. Merlin opened the door and prodded him towards the sofa. In hindsight it probably wasn’t the best idea, but there was no taking it back when Will face-planted into the coffee table.

“Ow, no I’ve got it,” Will waved his arm rapidly and rolled to the floor.

“For goodness sake,” Merlin rolled his eyes. “I’ll get you a cover. Situate yourself.”

Merlin headed off to the closet and snagged a decent size duvet to toss over Will’s likely prone form on the ground - he was not about to lift that man onto the sofa, he deserved to sleep on the floor every once in a while after all. He went around the corner, idly flicking his wrist so that the end of the blanket snapped out mid air to hover flat ahead of him, and perfectly prepared to roll his eyes again at his friends drunken stupidity. Instead, he found Will being adjusted on the sofa by a frowning Arthur.

“Hey,” Arthur’s gaze shot to him, mouth briefly falling open when he caught sight of the floating end of the duvet. “I thought I told you I didn’t need help.”

Arthur straightened and put on a smug grin over his surprised expression. “Sure _looked_ like you needed it though. Your friend here was having a go at your carpet.”

“What?”

“Yeah, it wasn’t a very pretty sight to be honest, creepy actually,” Arthur guided the floating end of the blanket across Will’s chest. Merlin released it from his magic the instant it touched him.

“You know, it’s nice to hear you being sympathetic towards someone. Course you’re nothing but sarcastic and derogatory towards me, but your voice sounds much better when you’re being friendly,” Arthur said.

Merlin gave Arthur his best ‘you’re insane’ look. “I don’t even _know_ you.”

“Oh come on, I’ve been coming here with Avalon for two _years_ now. I sit and have a drink every night.”

“Alright, so I know what you have to drink - all things that take two steps or more to make, might I add - but I don’t actually know you. I don’t want to-”

“Shut up,” Will croaked from the couch.

Merlin stopped mid sentence and met Arthur’s curious gaze. “We have to do what he says,” he whispered, heading for the door.

“What a drunk man says,” Arthur’s voice boomed loudly in the room. He ended it in a hearty laugh.

Merlin looked over in time to see a flying table coaster hit Arthur squarely in the forehead. He was hard pressed not to laugh, but only because he’d been hit with the same one on numerous occasions and knew it hurt like hell.

“What the-” another coaster came flying, Arthur barely managed to duck. He bolted to the door, eyes wild with confusion.

“I did warn you didn’t I?” Merlin asked once they made it safely outside and checked for any further injury.

“I don’t see how a man as wasted as he is has such accurate aim; it defies all logic,” Arthur rubbed at his forehead.

“He took physics three times over in school. I’m pretty sure he’s learned some way to overcome the alcohol and gravity all at once. When he wants to,” Merlin said, recalling the time that Will had slipped and fallen into a river when they were on a rope bridge or the other time when he’d fallen ungracefully from a tree.

“Insanity,” Arthur responded with a coy grin. Merlin rolled his eyes - they were beginning to ache from overuse of that gesture tonight.

He headed down the stairs and back into the pub, all the while irritated that he could hear Arthur shuffling behind him. Silently, he started counting the till again.

“Where’d Gawain go tonight?”

Merlin lost count at seventy three. He put down the cash and glared hard at Arthur, “You’re like an annoying foot fungus.”

Arthur spluttered on his drink, “What?”

“Yeah, you won’t go away and you’re not exactly wanted.” Merlin picked up the money and started over again.

“You can’t talk to me like that-”

“You’re hideous-”

“I’m disarmingly handsome-”

“Insufferable-”

“My bass skills rock your world, don’t deny it-”

“Hang on, I’m on a roll!” Merlin was _not_ enjoying this, not in the slightest. The involuntary smile had nothing to do with how much fun it was to throw insults at the man. It was possible he was enjoying it, just a tad, but his text book was waiting for him to highlight and this prat was deliberately prolonging the night.

“I bring you business with my charm.”

“Wrong, you bring my cousin business. This is his pub. He’s the one who’s clinically insane, not me,” Merlin went to pick up the cash again, tired of the game, and possibly feeling a pinch of anxiety with the change of topic.

“How’d he get it anyway?” Arthur asked.

“I really don’t think that’s any of your business,” Merlin snapped.

“Whoa there,” Arthur waved his hands in mock surrender. “Unarmed man here. Just curious is all.”

“Curiosity killed the cat,” Merlin bit back. If his hair could bristle it would be on end right now from a combination of irritation, frustration, and impatience. He needed this night to be over. Damn Gawain and his sexual needs; his education surpassed those animalistic desires any day. Not that he was jealous or anything, even if it had been years since - he shook his head to stop the thought.

“Could you please finish your drink and go?” Merlin grouched, his insides boiling unnecessarily. Maybe he’d have a beer to loosen up a bit before he hit the books.

“Yeah, alright,” Arthur polished off the Cosmo and left without another word leaving Merlin gazing at the guitar case on his back, his hands shaking slightly.

And if Merlin felt a twang of guilt it was _not_ because of that prat-face.

***********************  
Merlin was on his third beer and completely immersed in his text book when Gawain came stumbling into the pub, glancing around him at the brooms and mops moving of their own volition.

“Wotcher Merlin,” Gawain slurred. His hair was sticky with something. Merlin only guessed once before he caught the scent of beer.

“You read way too much Harry Potter, you’re in danger of turning into one of those cosplay nerds. I’m not willing to let you fall into _that_ downward spiral. And who dumped a beer on you this time?” Merlin queried without much interest.

Gawain tripped his way to the booth Merlin was occupying and plopped down with a deep sigh. “I dunno, could’a been the hot waitress, but I have my suspicions that it was my date _because_ of the hot waitress. Know what I mean cuz?” Gawain’s eyebrows went crazy on his forehead-- probably because of the alcohol or maybe he was trying to communicate with them? Merlin always wondered if there was a secret code to a drunk person’s eyebrow wiggles, but since he wasn’t a linguistic expert he would never find out for certain.

“Can’t say that I do,” Merlin said around a mouth full of his pen.

“That’s because you’re sexually oppressed,” Gawain said with an eye blinding white tooth grin.

“Coming from you, that hypothesis doesn’t hold any credence,” Merlin said. He highlighted another line.

“Suppose not,” Gawain mumbled, clearly beginning to sink under the influence of the alcohol.

Merlin stood up and went around to help him to his feet.

“Will ‘ere ‘gain?” Gawain slurred sleepily through a jaw popping yawn.

“Yeah,” Merlin hoisted Gawain’s arm over his shoulder.

“He’s ‘otta go home soon,” Gawain said.

“I know, but... things just aren’t right for him yet. He’s not used to being without his Dad.” Merlin managed to shuffle them to the door without any issues.

“We lost our fathers too, neither of us are cryin’ over it,” Gawain said.

Merlin, having grown used to this argument, only sighed and guided Gawain to the stairs.

“Where’re you gonna sleep,” Gawain asked when they made it to the top without issue.

“I probably won’t tonight,” Merlin opened the door and caught the stale stench of alcohol from Will’s snoring, prone body.

“Cuz,” Gawain said, sounding deceivingly sober. They shuffled to the room before he said which too much enthusiasm, “you’re bloody brill.”

Merlin laughed, “I’m beginning to suspect your date tonight was dressed as one of the characters to turn you on.”

“Nope, you’re just brilliant, thanks Big M,” and then he promptly passed out on the bed.

Merlin took off his shoes and tossed the blankets over him. He smiled when Gawain mumbled a thank you.

[ ](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=roots-fin.gif)

When he made it back to his text book he realized with painful clarity that his night was only just beginning.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

A typical Monday involved rising before the sun to iron his shirt and tie so he could leave the house in time to make it to the office before anyone else arrived. Mostly he did this so that he could have the first cup of coffee in peace, but lately he also preferred to stand in front of the giant, perfectly cleaned windows so he could watch the people rushing to work while the cold lifted. It soothed him, watching the world go by below in a blur of motion and sound as people went about starting their week. It was the same each time he watched, and he couldn’t help but wonder how they did it, how they survived in an existence so repetitive, so mundane.

Granted, his life veered towards the mundane at the best of times, but he liked to think it was only this part, and that he had his weekends to look forward to, where he didn’t have to be under his father’s thumb, pushing papers, impressing the board and making money. He could laugh with his friends and play his bass. He didn’t include himself when thinking about all the people below in their boring lives.

 _He couldn’t._

“Arthur. _Arthur._ ” He was snapped out of his thoughts by the harsh tone of his father’s voice, currently laced with disapproval. He took one last look out the window and turned to face Uther.

“Father, good morning,” he said, taking a sip from his coffee.

“I see you’ve forgotten to put _two_ filters in the drip this time,” Uther said.

“Yes, well-”

“No excuses Arthur, you’ve got to remember the minute details in these meetings or we won’t receive the recognition we deserve,” Uther replied while pouring himself a mug with a spoonful of sugar. “You’ll have to make another.”

“Yes father.” He quickly dumped what remained and set up another round. It would barely be done in time for the meeting, but he could text the assistant’s assistant and ask her to bring muffins to tide them over.

And that was what he was just about to do when Morgana came in with a loud, “Good morning Arthur, going to conquer the world with your coffee today?”

Arthur gave her an eye squint. “Looks like you’ve already had your share, I can make one less pot that way.”

She tossed a stack of manila folders overstuffed with papers onto the counter next to him and snagged Arthur’s unprotected coffee mug to take a swig.

“I’ve got Elena ordering pastries already,” Morgana said cheerfully, even as she finished off Arthur’s coffee.

Arthur groaned, “she’s going to _drop_ them, Morgana.”

Morgana smirked, “I suppose you think it was a coincidence I called her?”

Arthur let out a strangled laugh. “Last time, I had to pretend that nothing was wrong in front of a conference room full of Chinese dignitaries when the whole time all I could feel was the dirt grinding against my teeth! You are a cruel woman. ”

She wiped her red lipstick mark from the coffee mug with a graceful slide of her thumb and returned it to Arthur. “Indeed I am.”

Arthur was certain he could have found something else to chastise her about, but employees were beginning to filter in and he was forced to put on his professional facade - along with the fresh cup of coffee he managed to round up.

He gathered up the papers Morgana had thrown at him moments earlier and started to make his way down the hall to the conference room, wanting a few minutes before everyone arrived to gather his thoughts and make some final preparations for the presentation.

Uther cornered him right before he stepped into the room. “You’ve got this one nailed right?”

“Would you expect any less, father?” Arthur replied.

“I seem to recall a failure the previous time I heard you utter that conviction,” Uther responded, snagging a pastry from the newly arrived Elena - whose face was slightly flushed from the chill outside.

While Arthur refused to believe she had dropped the morning treats again, he decided not to take any chances, and waved her off with a smile when she held out the platter. He failed to mention this to his father though, secretly hoping that he was ingesting dirt at this very moment. He’d long ago stopped trying to please him.

He hated the way his father made him feel at times-- _most of the time_. Nothing Arthur did or achieved was ever good enough for Uther. It never had been. It was always overshadowed by the bad choices he’d made in life, even though they’d been a rare occurrence. He was pretty sure he’d never be forgiven for losing the Portside Hotel development because he’d turned up to work hungover, his presentation on a USB stick in his apartment. It hadn’t mattered to his father that his best friend Percy had died the afternoon before, and that he’d spent the night drowning his sorrows with a bottle of cheap scotch. It had only mattered that he’d fucked up and he had paid for it - was still paying for it.

The lights flickered on when he stepped in - an essential component for a green-conscious company like Camelot Developments and Construction. Uther tended to use that catch phrase to rope in potential clients.

It wasn’t long before the room was full of business men in perfectly fitted suits. Arthur took a deep breath and started his speech about destruction of an old children’s home in favor of a Starbucks.

When he finished his speech with an eloquent description of the exterior of the future building, it was met with applause and a scuffle of everyone leaving. Arthur flopped onto the chair he hadn’t used the duration of the presentation. He was massaging his temples and closing his eyes when he heard Morgana clear her throat in the door frame.

He looked up to see her frowning in thought. “Is there something you’re needing Morgana?”

“Oh, nothing,” but her tone clearly implied she had something to say.

Arthur sighed deeply. “Come on Morgana, I can tell you have something to say. I hear your thoughts clunking away in there.” He was used to this by now. It had become a reoccurring habit after Uther had designated Arthur for giving speeches since Morgana deliberately tried to botch up any contracts she found didn’t coincide with her beliefs.

“It’s just- do you really believe it’s acceptable to knock down a foster home to build a coffee house? And not just any coffee house, an addition to a foreign chain.”

“Morgana-”

“It’s terrible that Uther would advocate that; he adopted me after all. I would have had no place to go if there hadn’t been a foster home.”

“ _Morgana!_ ”

She finally looked at him, a worry line creasing her forehead.

“It’s abandoned. The building is rotting in on itself.”

“So then someone can reconstruct it! Why do we have to rip it down and waste the space for a damn coffee house?” Morgana bitterly huffed before turning down the hallway. Arthur cringed when he heard his father’s office door slam open and then closed. He flinched when he heard the raised shouting and literally jumped from his seat when he heard the desk flip over.

“You’re insufferable!” Morgana’s voice rang out clear as day. Arthur caught one of the employee’s eyes and shook his head.

“Sir, should we tell our guests that this has nothing to do with the contract?” Lancelot asked hesitantly from the door.

“Lance, when did you get in? You were meant to be early today remember?” Arthur swiveled his chair in one full circle before standing up and patting Lance on the shoulder in greeting.

“Yes well… something came up.”

“You’re hung over aren’t you?” Arthur grinned at him even as the voices in his father’s office increased in volume.

“It’s your damn fault,” Lance mumbled. “If your band wasn’t so shit I wouldn’t need to get drunk when I attend your weekend gigs.”

“BS, I call you on that one.” Arthur playfully jabbed Lance on the chest, but Lance didn’t take the bait.

“They’re fighting _again_? I’m beginning to worry that our reputation will start to be about the epic fighting and not the epic work we do.”

“Yeah, started a while ago though, it should be over soon.” Sure enough, Morgana came barreling out the door at that very moment, her eyes shiny with angry tears. She swooped past Arthur and Lance without a word and stormed her way - elegantly, always elegantly - out of the room. In the office, the desk was lying on its side, papers strewn in every direction and an infuriated Uther facing the window.

“Are you going to diffuse your father this time?” Lance asked in a stage whisper.

Arthur handed him the folders, straightened his tie and went straight into the lion’s den.

***********************  
“I’m pissed,” Merlin said upon entering the pub.

“It’s,” Gawain glanced at the clock, “only half past ten cuz.”

“What? Oh, no, we were taught American slang in class the other day. Pissed means angry. I just… the professor made that test impossible. Every question was complete shite and unanswerable!” Merlin flopped onto a bar stool. Gawain poured him a beer without being asked and set it down with an overly exaggerated wave of his arm. He didn’t spill a drop.

“I thought it was only half past ten,” Merlin observed with a raised eyebrow.

Gawain tsked at him. “It’s never too early to have a Failure Beer, Big M. Thought you would have learned that by now.”

“Failure Beer? You patent that?”

“You wanna sue me for the name not-yet-lawyer lawyer?” Gawain grinned, reached across the counter and ruffled Merlin’s hair.

“Why, you think I can’t?” Merlin sucked the foam from the top of the glass.

“I don’t doubt your abilities. I’m terrified of them actually,” Gawain said with a serious expression.

“I don’t comprehend how you can be functioning at this hour after such a late night.” Merlin took a deep pull of the beer. It tasted like bitter failure and now he was convinced that it really was Gawain’s Failure Beer after all.

“Don’t start,” Gawain suddenly snapped.

“Start what?”

“You always end up preaching to me about how Gaius wouldn’t approve of my drinking habits,” Gawain scrubbed at a stain on the counter.

Merlin swallowed the remainder of his beer in two gulps so that he didn’t have to respond.

“I know what my pap would have wanted,” Gawain growled.

“Where is this coming from? I came in here upset about my test and you manage to make it all about you!” Merlin pushed the empty glass towards Gawain and stood up. “The world does not revolve around you, despite the fact that you may believe so. Think about someone other than yourself for a change.”

Gawain’s face would have been hilarious in any other situation but his slack jawed, wide eyed look of surprise only enraged Merlin further. He swiped at the glass and turned to leave before it even shattered on the floor.

Merlin stormed his way up to the rooftop of the pub. Crisp air slapped his face in greeting. He took a deep breath and made a bee-line to his vegetable garden, which took up only a tiny corner of the roof. He’d been taking care of it for years. Ever since he first moved into the pub with Gaius and Gawain. Over time, it had evolved into something more akin to a green house, but still, he used his magic to help the plants grow.

His fingers itched as he got closer until he finally caved and extended his hand to let the energy flow. Tomato buds started blooming in a few seconds and after just a few more, they changed into tiny green tomatoes.

“You know,” Merlin stopped his ministrations and turned to face his cousin. “My pap didn’t intend for his pub to be turned into a vegetable experiment lab.”

“You just don’t get it, Gawain, this place, it calms me. It calms my magic down. Your dad knew that. He taught me everything I know. You, however, are delusional if you believe he’d want you to carry on the way you are! You’re so much more than nameless sex and drinking and living behind a bar that you won’t change, even though it only barely makes ends meet.” Merlin’s voice hit a twang at the end when he saw Gawain deflating.

Gawain remained silent for several long seconds, his face straining with something that Merlin couldn’t quite read. Gawain made his way around Merlin and idly flicked at the tomato bud. “You know, I was a little jealous of you, cuz. My pap was always concerned about you. He built that damn magic book cellar for you to learn from and spent hours every single day to help you riffle through them. What do you think I did while you two were so preoccupied?”

Merlin shook his head, “Gawain I-”

Gawain reeled on him, “I sat alone in the pub waiting for you both to come back up so that I could spend time with him. With you!”

“I had no idea,” Merlin said breathlessly.

Gawain’s face dropped, “I know. It’s not your fault you were born with this,” he motioned to the garden as if to signify everything, “but… I just wish I could have told my pap how much I missed him sometimes- not all the time, but sometimes.”

“I’m sure he understood. He would constantly talk about how I needed to follow your work ethic and good humor. In fact,” Merlin stepped around to push a bit of magic against the tomato bud so that it expanded. “I would never be able to do this if it weren’t for his descriptions about how hard you concentrate on things.”

“He said things like that?”

“Yeah, every time we went over a new spell he would remind me to be as focused as you,” Merlin said, a tiny smile spread across his lips.

Gawain, looking admittedly misty eyed, plucked a green tomato from the plant and handed it to Merlin. “Why do you even grow these things? You can’t eat them.” Gawain said.

Merlin flicked at the immature vegetable, eyes turning briefly gold. It morphed into a single seed and fell obediently into Merlin’s palm.

“Magic,” Merlin said quietly, “can manipulate life. My garden is meant to show that. It’s meant to remind me that I have to control it at a price. There is always a price. Uncle Gaius… I would have never known it without him. Things could have been very different.”

Their eyes met briefly and they tried to keep straight faces until Gawain broke into a brilliant smile.

“Come here Big M,” they embraced briefly, Gawain sniffled just a tad and then they broke apart.

“I think we should see if Will’s cooking anything for his hangover,” Merlin responded with a crooked smile. “He does make a mean fry-up.”

“Completely concur, cuz.”

***********************

Arthur straightened his tie, double checked that it was different from his designated work one so that his father wouldn’t shoot it dirty looks, and then made his way to the hostess desk.

“Pendragon,” he said with gentle smile to the girl at the front desk. She gave him a snooty look.

“Right this way, sir,” she waved him towards a room, “we’ve reserved this for you and your family’s _privacy_.”

Arthur was pretty sure she was implying something, but he ignored the inkling in favour of taking a deep breath before opening the smoke glass door leading to an entire evening of torture over expensive starters.

“I haven’t got anything to say Uther. Your lack of flexibility is going to be your downfall one day. Clients will make a rise against you.”

Arthur sat down, neither noticed nor desiring to be.

“I run this company with poise and etiquette, Morgana. Utilizing an old building for something that it was in the past is a pointless endeavour-”

“It’s not just to hang on to the past! That’s what you don’t understand, it’s to make a difference in the future and-”

“Controlling the building’s use is not in our protocol. That’s out of my control once a buyer signs the contract for construction.” Uther picked up a fork just to slam it down on the table.

Morgana didn’t even blink. “You control _nothing_. I’ll show you what it is to control something.”

“And how,” Uther clenched his jaw, put his hands firmly on the table, and narrowed his eyes at her, “ _exactly_ are you going to do that?”

“I saw your next plans for that Irish pub, I want to be the account and construction manager,” Morgana said, voice changing from irate to innocent and needy in the span of a few words.

Uther huffed. “The last time I put you at the front you lost us a deal.”

“That was a mistake, I’ve learned from it.” Morgana’s eyes went huge.

“Absolutely not. That’s final, no more on the subject,” Uther said.

Arthur took the opportunity to clear his throat. Both of them looked at him as if he had a second head, but he smiled. “What type of wine do we want tonight?”

They were halfway through their third bottle of Cabernet and second hors d’oeuvre when Morgana raised her glass to purpose a toast. Uther looked surprised but nodded for her to go on as he raised his glass as well.

“To the corporation,” Morgana said through clenched teeth.

They tapped glasses gently and took a sip.

“Uther?” Morgana asked around a mouthful of shrimp scampi.

He tilted his head to acknowledge her.

“I’m sorry for questioning your motives. Truly, it was completely out of line.” Morgana said. Arthur rolled his eyes at her. She kicked his shin under the table with bruising force.

“No, no, your opinion matters as much as anyone else,” Uther responded. His cheeks were rosy from the wine.

“Thank you.” Morgana said.

“Father,” Arthur piped in, feeling generous, probably from the wine. “Why don’t you let her cooperate with me in the next project?”

Uther waved his hand. “Alright, I suppose that would be acceptable. We have roughly over a month to repossess The King’s Head for an apartment development. I trust that you two can handle the majority of the negotiations?”

Arthur choked even as Morgana gave an enthusiastic - if not overly so - “Of course”.

“Arthur,” Uther said, giving him a suspicious look, “are you alright?” Arthur blinked.

“Yes, father. I’m fine. The wine went down the wrong way. All sorted,” he said, his mind racing. He’d had no idea his father had his sights set on Gawain and Merlin’s pub, his weekend musical haven.

The dinner ended with stiff goodbyes and hailed cabs. Morgana gave Arthur a brief hug and a whispered, ‘thanks for convincing him’. Arthur decided it was best not to tell her that his mind was set on nothing more than on how best to warn Merlin about his father’s plans and how he was going to stop them.

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-1.gif)


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:

Saturday rolled around much quicker than Merlin had anticipated. His professor had already reassured him that he’d passed the exam he’d been preparing for for weeks in advance on numerous occasions, but Merlin still felt nervous about it and, as a result, was entirely unfocused and unprepared for the busy night.

Avalon had a new set to play and had advertised in every conceivable place. Merlin had even seen a poster taped to a loo door on campus. He’d groaned and imagined that it wouldn’t be a big deal since Gawain had called Freya to come in early and asked Will to work the bar, as he did on the occasional big night.

Gawain was wearing the tightest black shirt that he could fit into so girls and guys were immediately flocking to his end of the bar. Still, it ended up being the busiest night of the year, even more packed than when they’d had that famous guy from America stop in with his girlfriend. What was his name? Zack Efflong or something.

The night dragged on, and on, and on. Avalon played three rounds of encores mixed with their best oldies - as old of songs that a two year old band could muster up on cue. Merlin was all for the first round, but once they did two more, he was more annoyed than anything. He had other things to do and needed the bar cleared to do them.

When the bass player -Arthur -came and sat at the bar after everyone had finished swarming around him to ask questions and take pictures, Merlin was already nearly done for the night. He was just finishing up drying the last clean glasses.

“How’s it going?” Arthur asked with a stiff smile.

“Splendid.” Merlin didn’t hide his disdain. “What drink would you like tonight?”

“None,” Arthur said.

Merlin blinked at him. His annoyance went down a few notches. “What’s up with you anyway?” he asked as indifferently as possible.

“It’s… Merlin, I need to discuss something with you,” Arthur responded.

“Look, I’m really tired, I’d rather we do this some other time,” Merlin said, polishing the last glass until it sparkled. “It’s your fault we’re here till five in the morning.”

“Excuse me?” Arthur’s voice went surprisingly sharp.

“I’d rather you just leave,” Merlin said. “We’re not friends just because you play for Gawain.”

“Fine,” Arthur stood abruptly, slamming his palms onto the counter. He left without another word.

“Is there something the matter?” Freya’s voice said timidly behind Merlin.

Merlin smiled at her fondly. “Nah, he’s just being a big arsehole. Excuse my language.”

Freya smiled. “Sometimes people who love you can be that way.”

He was almost certain that his jaw was hanging open when Will slung his arm playfully over his shoulders. “Lover’s spat?”

“I’m pretty certain he hates me as much as I hate him,” Merlin hissed. Freya gave him a big-eyed stare.

“Are you kidding me mate?” Will asked. “That man is frillier than those bloody cocktails he orders from you.”

“No,” Merlin glanced at the door, but it _would_ sort of make sense. He shook his head. “He’s straight. You don’t learn bass and act that prattish when you’re gay.”

Will rolled his eyes. “You’re in denial.”

“And being _very_ liberal with the gay stereotype, Merlin. You’d think you dance around in leather pants and spandex in bright colours the way you’re talking,” Freya added, and Will hi-fived her. She looked a bit put off.

“Alright everyone,” Gawain thankfully intervened from the other side of the room. “As much as we’re all enjoying the image of Merlin in fluro spandex, let’s call it a night. Avalon’s coming in tomorrow evening as well which means we’ll probably be just as busy.”

***********************  
If Merlin could do one thing in his life, it would be to translate the magic tomes that Gaius had left him. His eyes would ache after hours of trying to decipher the old English writing.

That night - or rather, that morning - though, he stumbled his way his way down to the cellar where the vintage wine racks full of aging bottles swung back to embrace Merlin in the pungent stench of old books and dried herbs. He sat in his beanbag, the only spot that wasn’t covered in inches of dust and grime.

One of the books had shiny pages, so he pulled it out to trace his fingers over the gold letters. Sometimes they would rearrange themselves into images of the plants and beasts it possibly described - he hadn’t gotten around to translating it yet.

“Hey cuz,” Gawain’s voice whispered from the still open hidden entrance. “Long night eh?”

“Yeah,” Merlin rubbed his eyes. “Figured I’d skip on REM so I don’t screw up my sleeping pattern.”

Gawain only gave a conceding grunt. He made his way slowly around the perimeter of the room, dragging his fingers along the book bindings until he was behind Merlin. “My father spent his life collecting and compiling this library. When he adopted me, he convinced me he was cool enough by dragging me to every antique store imaginable.”

Merlin leaned back. “He used to tell me about how awful you were. Running around breaking things. Said he bought more glass vases than would fit in this entire pub.” Gawain laughed, but the silence afterwards was heavy with memories.

“Merlin?”

“Hmm?”

“I know you’re having a rough go at things right now, but treating my star bass guitarist so horribly really isn’t you. I don’t know what you’ve got against him, but sort it out,” Gawain said, touching Merlin’s shoulder lightly.

“He drives me up the wall. He’s just...he’s...” Merlin trailed off, and even as he said it, he still couldn’t put his finger on why.

“He’s nothing like Val. Arthur’s a good guy.” Gawain squeezed Merlin’s shoulder. “We have a long night later, you should get some rest, cuz.” He patted where he’d squeezed and left the room.

**********************

Merlin hadn’t gotten any rest the night before and already it was nearing the end of the second evening of chaos. He yawned for the umpteenth time that night, nearly knocking a glass to the floor when he went to lower his fist, but barely managing to stop it with a quick flick of his eyes. He looked up only to find that Lance was in a catching position and Gwen ready with a towel. They smiled.

“It’s a good thing we’re here,” Gwen and Lance said in unison. Sometimes they were like a circus show with their perfect timing and synchronized laughing. They looked at each other and both let out a soft laugh, before Lance leaned over and kissed Gwen lightly on the forehead.

Merlin gave Lance a sheepish smile. “Books.”

“That explains everything,” Gwen said over the announcements the band was making to end the night. “If you didn’t need sleep I think you’d spend all that time studying.”

“I’ll have you know, I quite enjoy sleep. I look forward to the days when I can go back to ten or twelve hours and not lose most of my day in the process,” Merlin replied, pouring drinks for Lance, Gwen, and himself.

“Avalon’s going off tonight, aren’t they?” Lance asked, gesturing to the stage with his drink. Merlin nodded and made a humming sound, which he hoped feigned indifference. If he noticed Lance raise his eyebrows, he didn’t let on, turning to the couple beside Lance and Gwen and filling their orders.

“Merlin’s in denial,” Freya said, appearing out of nowhere and leaning over the bar towards Gwen and Lance, speaking in a low tone.

“Is he now?” Lance replied, a smirk finding it’s way onto his face.

“I am n-” Merlin started, but he was cut off by Will, who bumped his shoulder into him roughly and started speaking over the top of him.

“He’s completely in denial. He’s got the hots for Sir Bassman up there and hates it, and he can’t admit that Arthur hanging around after every gig to talk to him and order his poncy, frilly cocktails means that he wants to get in your pants pronto.” Will turned to Merlin and stuck his tongue out. Merlin gaped at him, his mouth involuntarily opening and closing as he struggled with something to say.

“You know I’m right,” Will said, throwing an arm around Merlin’s shoulders and squeezing.

“Right about what?” asked a new voice, and without looking, Merlin _knew_ it was Arthur.

“Oh, Jesus-fucking-Christ, kill me now,” Merlin groaned, burying his face into Will’s shoulder momentarily before raising his head and looking at Arthur.

“Great set, mate,” Lance said, clapping Arthur on the shoulder. Arthur grinned and kissed Gwen on the cheek in greeting.

“It was, wasn’t it?” Arthur replied, pulling up a chair at the bar. “Leon had it right when he said we needed to throw a few ballads in. What do you think, Merlin?”

“You’re no Flea or Gene Simmons, but it was a little catchy.” Arthur smirked in a self-satisfied way. Merlin couldn’t stop himself from blurting out, “But you completely lost the tempo at points.”

“How on earth could I lose the tempo, you idiot?” Arthur asked, clearly unable to stop his voice from rising. Merlin noticed in his peripheral vision that Gwen and Lance had started to make their way into the crowd behind him. “I wrote the songs. I think I’d know them.”

“You asked,” Merlin replied. He reached out in front of him and started to wipe the bar. Arthur leaned forward and grabbed the towel, stilling Merlin’s movement.

“I’m not sure what I’ve done to offend you, but I wish you’d enlighten me. All I do is come up here and talk to you a couple of times a week - that’s all I’ve _ever_ done. I’m just... I’m not sure what I’ve done,” Arthur said, staring at Merlin with piercing blue eyes.

Merlin was unsettled and could feel the guilt building in his stomach; it felt wretched. Unable to form the words, he took a cocktail glass from under the bar and placed it on the counter, his other hand still trapped between the towel and Arthur’s hand. Arthur pulled away.

“Scotch and dry tonight, I think,” Arthur said, running his fingers through his hair and looking up at Merlin.

Merlin’s heart dropped. He felt irritated with himself - and his friends - for having convinced him that he would have a chance at all. Not that he wanted one, he reasoned soundly. Instead, he nodded silently and placed a tumbler on the bar, pouring a shot of scotch in and topping it with the soft drink from the hose. He pushed it across the wood bar towards Arthur, but spoke as Arthur went to pick it up.

“Hang on,” Merlin said, looking thoughtful and reaching for something that turned out to be a little cocktail umbrella. He opened it and placed it on the edge of Arthur’s drink, a soft smile on his face.

Arthur looked between Merlin and the glass and placed it back down on the counter.

“I’m not a fan of green,” he said, looking pointedly at Merlin. Merlin didn’t miss a beat, snagged the green umbrella, took a yellow one, and placed it in the glass.

“Better?”

“Yellow? What am I - a five year old girl?” Arthur replied, reaching into the small container filled with umbrellas and plucking out a blue one, placing it in his drink.

“Predictable,” Merlin snorted. “I had you pinned for a red or a blue and I was right!”

“We’ve already established that your colour choices for my drink garnish are unacceptable, _Mer_ lin,” Arthur replied taking a long sip of his drink and eyeballing Merlin with a mocking grin. Merlin stuck out his tongue, grabbed a handful of umbrellas, and dropped them unceremoniously in Arthur’s drink.

“I aim to please. Now bugger off, I’ve got cleaning to do.” Arthur’s response was a deep chuckle. Merlin bit his bottom lip to stop from laughing -- he didn’t want to encourage the bloke.

But it didn’t stop his heart from pounding when Arthur downed his drink and gave him one last shameless grin before sneaking off to grab his gear from the stage.

“I’ll see you next week,” Arthur shouted across the empty bar. Merlin tried not to wave, but couldn’t stop himself.

[ ](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-2.gif)


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The coffee was ready when Arthur arrived at the offices the next morning. Morgana sat smiling over a stack of folders, arms crossed, a full mug in front of her. She gave Arthur a nod and waved him over. He sighed.

“I’ve been going over the details for the pub repossession,” she said, sipping gently at her steaming coffee that was a darker black than her hair.

“About that-”

“Arthur, Morgana,” Uther’s voice boomed over Arthur‘s. Morgana rose to greet him. She gave him a brief hug. Arthur could only hang his head, and try not to meet his father’s eyes. “I’ll be assigning Lancelot to this case as well. Our client is insistent that we move it along without any hindrance. I want all hands on deck.”

Arthur’s head snapped up. “Client? Since when do we take on clients?”

“I find it unnecessary to give you any further details on the matter. Morgana can fill you in with the paperwork I’ve provided her.” Uther waved a dismissive hand, “I expect you to follow the timeline and finish this deal as quickly as possible. There’s a lot riding on it. That is all.”

Morgana nodded vigorously, but Arthur found himself unable to respond. His legs felt wobbly for a moment, and his blood went cold at the smile across Morgana’s red stained lips.

“Morgana,” Arthur’s voice shook with a combination of fear and anger. “Is there no other place the client would prefer?”

“I’ve already asked. It doesn’t seem to be the optimum location for a flat complex does it?” Morgana shuffled through the signed paperwork. “But it looks as though the tenants have failed to pay for the past few months,” she pointed to a particular line, “which gives our client the right to purchase the land at a fair price and invest more into the construction.”

Arthur pushed his hand through his hair. “There _has_ to be some other way.”

“There is no other way,” Morgana said sharply. A chill ran up Arthur’s spine, signaling that something wasn’t right with his sister, but he ignored it.

“There must be some other location, it’s not financially sound. Not in the slightest,” Arthur said, but Morgana only shook her head. Lance entered the room just as Arthur was about to counter with a possible alternative.

“Arthur, Morgana,” Lance said once, tipping his head in greeting, “I’m told we are meant to negotiate repossession of The King’s Head.” He gave Arthur a painfully enraged squint of his eyes.

Morgana clearly saw the angry glare. Her eyes darted between the two men who were obviously having an eye fight. She ignored it in favour of prattling on and on about the plan of approach and deadlines. Arthur's stomach dropped when she mentioned something about the pub needing to be bought out by the end of the month at the client’s request, and knew that it wasn't at all possible given Merlin and Gawain's circumstances.

"I was considering going into the pub tonight, meeting the owners, getting the ball rolling," Morgana randomly threw in. Both Lance and Arthur leaned forward in their seats out of reflex to suggest she not do so.

"I think that's a terrible idea. In fact, you should let me deal with the negotiations," Arthur said quickly, before Lancelot could leak any information about Arthur's affections for the place - knowing his father, should he find out that Arthur spent the majority of his free time playing music to perform in front of a crowd of pub goers wouldn't go over well. Not to mention he'd probably pull Arthur off the project, and what good would that end up doing Merlin and Gawain?

"Well, I've already planned my evening out. If I can talk to the owner I may be able to give them a good price for the place. It's only going to be torn down in the long run anyway," Morgana said without much pity. She straightened the stack of papers and stood up to leave. "Should you wish to join me, I'll be there around seven. Now, off to discuss logistics with the client." She gave them both a crooked grin and left.

Lance slumped back in his chair. Arthur couldn't stop himself from pounding his fist against the table in frustration. "Damn it."

"When were you planning on telling me? Or Gawain and Merlin for that matter? How long have you known that your father planned on demolishing the pub?" Lance's voice shook with restrained anger. He'd always been able to contain himself even when Arthur did the most idiotic things.

"A few days," Arthur said, defeated and unable to look Lance in the eyes. "I was about to tell Merlin the other night actually."

Lance sat forward, propping his head up with his hands. "They need to know. At least that way they'll be prepared when Camelot Construction evicts them."

"You're right. I'm a sodding idiot," Arthur hissed, angry with himself and frustrated with his father. "There really is nothing they can do though. Once my father has the highest bidder he won't give up on a property. Something isn’t right, though.” Arthur rubbed at his eyes. “We don’t take on clients. Typically, the company does all of our own acquiring, building, and completion. Camelot doesn’t take on backers. Not to mention the building and what it’s earmarked for doesn’t make sense. It’s not the right location for luxury flats. My father’s going to lose so much money, but he doesn’t want to listen. What should I do?"

The silence that hung over them was answer enough. Even having a tiny sliver of control over the contract didn't provide Arthur any hope.

**********************

The pub was nearly empty. Monday nights were probably the best time to have silent drinking time, and Morgana likely knew that. Arthur found her already seated at the bar, on her blackberry, a coke -possibly mixed with something a bit stronger - in her hand. He made his way over, dragging out the short walk as long as possible without drawing unnecessary attention to himself.

"-of course, I guarantee that we'll have it by the end of the month. Uther won't even need to construct on it." She fell into silence and nodded, "I think it's perfectly plausible." Morgana finally saw Arthur approaching. She raised her finger, "I'll call you back later. For now, Arthur and I will be discussing repossession with the owner. Thank you, you too."

She stabbed at the end call button and took a long sip of her coke. "Apparently the owner, Glen-"

"Gawain," Arthur corrected. Morgana gave him a calculating look.

" _Gawain_ will be out in just a few minutes now. Would you like something to drink?" She was already waving over the petite girl Arthur had seen around the pub on weekends but hadn't quite gotten around to introducing himself to yet.

"I'm alright, thanks," Arthur said, just as the girl sidled up with a grin.

"Arthur! It's rare to see you during the week," she chirped out shyly while batting her eyes. "Great set last Saturday by the way. I didn't have the chance to say so after your drink."

Arthur glanced at Morgana, who seemed entirely unfazed by the comment. He hadn't shared his hobbies with his father or Morgana yet. Probably because she had a tendency to tease him endlessly when it came to things he enjoyed that seemed thoroughly out of character for an openly gay man. And well, his father didn’t care as long as it didn’t interfere with the business.

"Freya," Morgana said gently, "when will Gawain be in? We have important matters to discuss and timing is imperative."

Freya nodded and frowned briefly in thought. "He's off fetching Merlin from his class. He'll be back any minute now."

"Merlin?" Morgana asked, feigning interest. Arthur knew her better than anyone and knew when she was genuine about something. Now was not one of those times.

"Gawain's cousin. He works here on the weekends when his schedule allows for it," Freya responded.

"Ahh," Morgana cooed, "isn't that lovely? A family-run business." She laughed and gave Arthur a shoulder bump.

Arthur's stomach rolled with anger. "Morgana," he hissed, "now's not the time to be joking around."

Morgana sobered. "You're right, we need to be in business mode." She leaned over and, spotting someone, said, "speaking of that. Time to put on your gay charm, you've got a fox coming your way."

Arthur swiveled in his seat. His heart sped up when he caught sight of Gawain, swaggering his way towards them with a disgruntled Merlin behind.

He didn't realize that Morgana was already rushing forward to meet them, hand extended, "I'm Morgana and this is Arthur Pendragon."

Gawain eyed Arthur with amusement. "Yes, we've met. Arthur comes to my pub every so often. What can I do for you?"

"This is your pub?" Morgana asked, feigning surprise. "Goodness, it makes matters all the more difficult. You must be Gawain then?" She sought out Merlin over Gawain's shoulder, "and Merlin."

"In the flesh," Merlin said, shooting a dirty look at Arthur for reasons that Arthur clearly wasn’t privy to.

"I'm here on a rather important business deal regarding the pub through Camelot Developments and Construction," Morgana chattered while collecting her folder from the bar top. "In fact, I have a proposition to make for its repossession. Would you rather do so in private?"

Gawain shook his head, a sly smile stretching across his lips. "I'm not interested in any buy out offers." He went to step around her, but Morgana's thin, pale hand stopped him with a strong grip of his arm.

Her voice was firm, "contrary to my earlier statement, it's not a negotiation."

Gawain's eyes flickered down to her hand and then met her steady gaze with his own challenging expression. "No, I don't think it is. Now, you should leave my establishment before I make you." He looked at Arthur briefly, eyes filled with betrayal, but Arthur was more wounded by Merlin, who's mouth had fallen open, hands fisted in balls at his sides, clearly angry.

Morgana smiled with a hint of malice. "You have no control over this. You can make it easy or hard. It's only a matter of time before we buy you out." Gawain yanked his arm from her grip.

Merlin flicked his wrist, her folder suddenly ripped from her finger tips. Morgana stared after it for a few awkward moments and then, smiling sickly sweet at Merlin bent over to gather the papers.

“I suppose you’ll be going the hard route then,” she said after straightening herself. Without waiting for a response she nodded once at Merlin and then left. Both men glared at her receding back.

" _You_ ," Merlin snapped suddenly, pulling Arthur from his racing thoughts. "You _knew_ this was going to happen. You brought her here, _your fucking girlfriend_. I should have known you were scum from the beginning! Probably bloody cased this place while playing with your stupid band."

Gawain put a hand to his shoulder, "Merlin, go upstairs."

Merlin batted his hand away aggressively. Still, Arthur was surprised when he did exactly as he was told without resistance.

Gawain waited a few beats. Arthur held his breath, guilt gnawing painfully at his stomach. Without a word, Gawain strode around to the bar entrance, pulled out two tumbler glasses and mixed two drinks with vodka and cranberry.

He slid one in front of Arthur and chugged his in one go before slamming down the empty cup. Arthur jumped with surprise and looked up into Gawain's calm face.

"I don't know what to say mate," Gawain growled, voice grating painfully while he mixed another drink. Arthur followed Gawain’s glance towards Freya who was staring openly, but Gawain only gave her a reassuring nod to encourage she keep working.

"What I don't understand," Gawain said, "is why you would allow for this to happen. I thought you were my friend. I thought you enjoyed coming here. Sure I've defaulted on a few payments, but I've done so numerous times before and been able to pull through in the end."

Arthur sipped his drink, the vodka burnt as he swallowed. "It's business."

And god, that was the wrong thing to say. Gawain's face twisted with rage, but his voice was quiet when he spoke. "It's business to destroy my life? Merlin's life?!?"

Arthur saw Gawain's hand shake as he poured himself another vodka shot. "I can't fucking- I thought you liked him."

"Who?" Arthur asked, even though he knew the answer.

"You're a fucking arse," Gawain shouted suddenly. Freya squeaked from the other end of the bar and the room fell silent with lack of buzzing chatter.

"I didn't know this was going to happen," Arthur whispered. He leaned over the counter so his voice could be impossibly quiet. "I _do_ like Merlin. Hopelessly. I swear, I didn't know. I can help, I can pay what you haven't and then my father won't make a deal. He won’t get it at such a competitive price if everything is paid up to date."

Gawain shook his head, the fight draining from him. "I’m not a charity case."

"You're above that?" Arthur bit out. "I'm trying to save this damned pub!"

"You don't think I want to save it?" Gawain shouted again. Freya dropped a bottle of beer with a surprised yelp and immediately started apologizing.

"It's fine Freya. No, actually," Gawain raised his voice, "everyone out! The pub is closed for the rest of the evening."

Customers gave indignant cries of frustration, but scampered their way out. Freya, still cleaning the bottle, shot to her feet and ran out as well. Probably too nervous to be of much more help.

"If you like Merlin you'll find a way to stall your father. At least until I get the mortgage out," Gawain said.

"It's hopeless liking that fool," Arthur responded, "but I _am_ willing to help because I love this place and what it offers. However I can. I don't think I'll be able to do much. They’re pushing this project unlike any other I’ve seen."

"Your sister seems invested," Gawain countered, finishing off his drink and eyeballing Arthur's until Arthur took another sip.

"She wants to win my father's favour. And yes, she _is_ my sister. Not my girlfriend," Arthur said.

"Merlin... don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, but he's had some fucked up shit happen to him. Truthfully, he's probably not being honest with himself if he says you're not attractive." Gawain grinned wickedly. "Hell, if you weren't so in love with him I'd shag you." He snatched Arthur's drink and polished it off.

Arthur watched as his throat worked the liquid down and bit his bottom lip. "How can you talk about that when there's a possibility you'll lose this place?"

"Because I won't," Gawain growled deep from his chest. "There's no bloody way you, your sister, or your father are going to get your grimy hands on it. I will fight for my pub until my last breath."

Arthur nodded, and stood to leave.

"I'm sorry," Arthur said in afterthought. "I don't want you to lose it. This pub seems very special to you. And Merlin."

Gawain nodded and said almost reverently, “it is.”

********************************************

Merlin was more angry than he had ever been in his life. His blood was pounding mercilessly in his head and he couldn't stop himself from lashing out with his magic. It broke three ceramic plates that Gawain displayed before he reined it back under control.

By the time he'd finished cleaning up and found his way to the couch to slouch down, Gawain had joined him in the living room.

"What did that arse want?" Merlin snapped, feeling his anger rise again. His fingers twitched to use his magic.

Gawain rubbed at his forehead. "I've missed a few payments cuz."

"How many?" Merlin asked.

"Four.”

Merlin closed his eyes. "We're going to lose it."

"No, I won't let that happen," Gawain said, voice shaking. "I can't let that happen."

"Maybe it's for the best." Merlin stood up to brew himself a cup of tea. "Uncle Gaius wouldn't have wanted us to carry on this way. He wouldn't want us to struggle. If we sell it to Camelot-"

"You'd give up just like that?" Gawain shouted over him, having turned around on the couch.

Merlin shrugged. "When I get out of school, I can get a job and we can try to purchase another pub."

Gawain stood abruptly, banging the coffee table with his knee and hissing out an ‘ow’ before spinning towards Merlin, one finger raised, "My father kept this bloody pub for _you_ Merlin! _You're_ the reason I carry on with it. He said to never sell it or you'd have nothing to help you understand who you are. That you would always have questions, and that this fucking place would have the answers."

The mug he'd been holding slipped from his hands and cracked loudly on the floor. For a brief moment he stared down at the pieces and then looked up towards Gawain. His cousin's face had gone stony cold, eyes narrowed with anger.

"I'm sorry," Merlin pushed out, "I didn't realize I'm such a fucking hassle!"

"You're... cuz," Gawain said. He stepped around the couch, still clearly angry, but also seemingly pulling himself together, "I... it's hard alright? I want the best for you, but this pub means as much to me as it did to my Father. I can't just let it go."

"Then you're an idiot!" Merlin's voice rose above the clatter of the pieces of the mug as he brushed them magically into the trash. "You've become an alcoholic, you're promiscuous. You lie. It's done nothing but terrible things to you. If we sold it then you'd be able to clean up."

"Maybe I don't want to clean up," Gawain's voice went dangerously low. "Maybe I don't _need_ to clean up, Merlin. Maybe I’m happy."

"Are you fucking blind?" He slammed the rubbish bin to the floor.

Gawain went silent. The lack of words only made Merlin shake at his own reaction.

"I'm taking your car for a spin," Gawain bit out and turned to leave. He didn't even bother to grab his jacket.

"Good, fucking do whatever you want," Merlin shouted after the door had slammed shut. "Deal with the problems the way you always do, by running off to fuck someone!"

His heart pounded after he realized what he'd just said and he immediately regretted it. He'd never yelled at anyone like that before. Especially not Gawain.

The kettle whistled on the stove top.

********************************************

Merlin didn't think anything of it when Gawain didn't come home that evening. It was a common practice of his cousin, and after their fight, he wasn’t expecting to see him again for at least a day or two. He went straight to bed and fell asleep almost the instant his head hit the pillow.

He startled to awareness, something having woken him, but he didn't know what until his mobile rang again. Rolling over, he pushed it against his ear while pressing the on button.

"'ello?"

"Merlin Emrys?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

"This is him," Merlin said, suddenly wide awake.

"I have some unfortunate news. Gawain Emrys has been in an accident and is currently being admitted into the intensive care unit. You were the first person on his contact list. Are you family?" the voice asked, soothing while professional.

"Yes, he's my cousin," Merlin pushed out, he was already standing up and grabbing his keys. "Which hospital?"

[ ](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-3.gif)


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The white lights of the hospital effectively kept Merlin awake even when he tried to close his eyes for a few minutes of rest, the sleep he’d missed finally weighing down his eyelids. Endless amounts of coffee combined with dozens of sugars meant there was absolutely no hope of him catching any amount shut eye, but it wasn’t just the bright lights or the caffeine because in front of Merlin’s uncomfortable, plastic hospital guest chair, Gawain was lying prone, bruised, and pale underneath those same impossibly bright florescent lights.

"I can't believe that you would be so stupid," Merlin said, stroking Gawain's hair from his face as he lay unmoving and silent. After he’d answered the phone, it had taken him all of five minutes to hail a taxi and rush to the hospital to be with Gawain, where he’d been for three days.

He was still in his pyjamas.

"Gawain, you stupid fuck, wake up. It's not like you to be this quiet. I can't take it! The last time you were like this, Uncle Gaius..." Merlin trailed off, a lump forming in his throat and found he couldn't finish the sentence because it made everything that much more real.

The doctors had told him that Gawain's brain was functioning at a lower level than it should be, even in his condition, and that they wouldn't know if he was going to wake up until he actually did. Merlin had felt they could have been a bit more sensitive to the issue, but at that moment, all he wanted was Gawain to open his eyes and tell him it had all been one of his many terrible pranks.

He closed his eyes and felt his extremities tingle as magic built inside of him. When a tired sob finally forced its way up his throat, the light bulbs in the room shattered across the floor. Moments later, the door burst open and Lance came rushing in, looking around frantically for any sign of a disturbance. When he found no intruder his eyes sought out Merlin’s slumped figure.

  
[   
](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&current=Hospitalscenesm.jpg)   


"Merlin! What happened?" Lance asked breathlessly, eyes wide when he saw the glass on the floor illuminated by the lights from the hallway behind him.

Merlin looked up, only just noticing Lance for the first time, along with the glass on the floor. He startled up from his chair, forgetting that in his haste to leave the house, he hadn't put on shoes and was wearing only a thin pair of socks. He hardly even registered the crunch as he stood on a small pile of glass. The blood pooled warm at the bottom of his feet, but he found he couldn't move. He stood until the glass cut further into his soles.

Lance crossed the room fluently to carefully deposit Merlin back onto the chair before stabbing at the nurse call button. He held Merlin forcefully in place by his shoulder when he tried to get up.

"I've got to clean it," Merlin said, rubbing at his eyes to rid the fuzzy tint the room had suddenly fallen into from a combination of lack of light and exhaustion.

"No you don't. What you _need_ to do is sit here. Let someone else do that.” Lance gripped Merlin’s shoulder even more firmly to stop him from scraping at the glass. “Here, let me look at your feet. You've cut them pretty badly.” Merlin went to stand up anyway.

“No, Merlin! Just. Sit. I'll get Gwen and she'll clean you up but then you need to go home and get some sleep. You've been here for _three days straight_. And all that time without a shower or more than a few bites of food. You’re worrying us sick. Gawain would kill you himself if he could. We’ve all enough on our plates fretting over Gawain," Lance said with more harshness than Merlin had ever known he possessed.

"I can't leave him,” Merlin’s eyes involuntarily fell to Gawain’s unmoving body. “What if-?" He couldn't finish the thought out loud. Instead, he settled for, "he's all the family I have left." Lance met his eyes and then pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I know, Merlin, and he's not going anywhere, alright? But if you keep on the way you are, you're going to end up in here too, and then what good are you to him? Go home and shower. Have a nap and I'll be there to pick you up at six," Lance said in a soft voice, his strong arms holding Merlin close.

Just then, Gwen came in the room, arms laden with a tray of coffee and muffins. She paused and looked around slowly, taking in the chaos.

"What happened?" she asked, placing the tray on a cupboard and rushing across the room to Merlin and Lance. Lance steadied her with a soft touch.

"Merlin got a bit upset and couldn’t rein it in. Not a big deal, but he’s trod in a pile of glass. Could you have a look?" Lance asked. Merlin sat in silence, grateful that Lance had taken control.

Normally, Lance was the type to go with the flow and let others make the decisions, but here he was, delegating duties. As hard as he was trying, Merlin just couldn't make himself function. He knew Gawain would hate to see him like this and knew that it was selfish and irresponsible of him to put himself in danger because he couldn't cope with his fears.

He also knew deep down, that somehow, this was his fault.

********************************************

"I've got you a coffee," Gwen said as she dressed his feet, hands gentle as ever. "Soy latte with hazelnut. I know you won't drink anything else, you stubborn sod," she added, rubbing her thumb soothingly against his ankle as she wiped his foot with the antiseptic cream. "Lance has gone to get you a new muffin. That's yours on the floor there."

"You're a star," Merlin replied, surprising himself with how hoarse his voice sounded in the quiet of the room. He looked towards Gawain. "Be honest with me, Gwen," he said, reaching down and stilling her movements for a moment. "Is he going to wake up?"

Gwen's breath hitched. Merlin knew that wasn't a good sign, but he stopped himself from jumping in and waited for her to say something.

"He's lucky to have survived, Merlin. He hit that pole going so fast it's a miracle he's even breathing. They've done all the tests they can think of to gauge his brain function and it's just not where they want it to be. His body is healing slowly, but until he wakes up - if he wakes up- we're not going to know. I hate having to tell you that, but I can't lie to you. He might not wake up Merlin." Her eyes went misty, and Merlin couldn't think of anything to say, so he reached down to run his fingers through Gwen's hair. She'd known them both for so long and was like a sister. Merlin knew this had to be affecting her in unspeakable ways.

"Remember," Merlin said, wiping at his eyes, "when he wrote you that stupid poem about frogs and dragonflies?" Gwen nodded through her tears.

"He was trying to get in my pants," she said, laughing softly and reaching for Gawain's hand. Merlin watched her stroke it gently as she eyed him for signs of change, just as Merlin had been doing for days.

"He was twelve, Gwen. I hardly think he was trying to get into your bike knickers," Merlin replied, and pulled Gwen up into his lap.

"I didn't wear bike pants," Gwen mumbled into his shoulder, sniffling slightly. Merlin kissed her hair.

"Yes, you did, but seeing as the three of us are the only ones that know, I won't tell anyone. I won't even tell anyone that they were tie-dyed..." Merlin trailed off, unsure of what to say next. He waited a few beats. "Gwen...I love you, you know that, right? And he does too. He doesn't talk about feelings and all that crap much, but he loves you so much." Gwen let out a painful sob and clung closer to Merlin.

"He's going to wake up, Merlin. I know he will," Gwen said confidently even through the tears. She shifted in his lap, "now, let me finish your feet and get Will or Lance back in here so you can go home to shower and sleep. I can't bear your stench for one more day."

After she'd finished bandaging him, she left the room to find Lance. Merlin felt his eyes drooping heavily. He was unable to fight it anymore and the room around him became a blur as the constant beep of Gawain’s heart monitor lulled him into a deep sleep.

Merlin was awoken by the door of the room snapping closed. Things came into focus slowly in the dull light from the moon through the window and the sound of Gawain's heart was still there, beeping steadily in reassurance. Merlin looked down at his watch to check the time. His hand brushed against a coat placed loosely over his shoulders. He reached a hand up and felt the soft leather wrapped around him and smiled. Lance knew him all too well.

Blinking, he stood up and looked around the room, pulling the jacket tighter around him. Not much had changed from the last time he'd been awake. The glass had been cleared and Gawain had a blanket over him. Across the way on the only cupboard, there was a new vase of bright blue, flaming red, and deep gold flowers.

Merlin couldn't believe he'd slept through all of that, but didn’t have much time to ponder further when Lance came into the room and cleared his throat. “Time to go. You need sleep in your own bed.”

Once Merlin had been dropped home, with Lance and Will's reassurance that Merlin would be the first to know if Gawain's condition changed, he stripped down, tossing Lance’s jacket onto the couch and noticing a whole that he would patch later before returning it, as he walked towards the small bathroom he and Gawain shared and climbed in the shower, letting the hot stream of water soothe him. He scrubbed at his body and hair and wondered what he was supposed to do next. There was no way he'd be able to sleep or concentrate enough to study anything for school. He dried himself and went over to the basin, deciding to take Gwen's advice and have a shave as well.

He looked into the mirror and even though he knew he'd barely slept for three days, he wasn't prepared for the image before him. He'd never seen his eyes so dark and face gaunt. He ran the razor across his chin gently, watching as the dark stubble dropped into the sink below him and followed the running water down the drain. Everything was so quiet with the pub downstairs closed until tomorrow.

He hated it.

Next on Gwen's list of demands had been food, so to appease her, Merlin went into the kitchen and prepared himself a salad from the few items they still had in the fridge. Gawain usually did the shopping on a Tuesday night when the pub was quiet and Freya could hold the fort by herself with Merlin there to help should she desperately need him.

Sitting at the table with his salad, Merlin stabbed at it with a fork and pulled out the accounts books. If he could find where the issues were, maybe he could fix it, or come up with a plan for Gawain when he woke up. Even though he'd told Gawain to sell it, Merlin really didn't want to. It was important to him to be able to practice and learn about his magic and everything he could ever need, Gaius had set up over the course of his lifetime. Merlin would be lost without The King’s Head. He knew that. He couldn't even understand why he'd told Gawain to sell it. He knew Camelot would demolish it and he knew they'd never find another one like it.

Without realising, Merlin had let go of the fork and it was stabbing into the salad of it's own accord, however none of his meal was making it into his mouth. Merlin groaned in frustration and slammed the books closed. How had they gotten to this point? Gawain should have told him they were in trouble so he could help. Merlin loved Gawain, but he couldn't understand Gawain's fierce need to protect him from anything and everything bad.

He felt his magic swell up as he became more and more annoyed and had no one knocked at the door to distract him, he was sure the light bulbs in their flat would have needed replacing, just like those at the hospital. He stood up, scruffed his hair and grabbed the bowl of salad. As he walked to the door he forced a mouthful into his mouth.

"See, Gwen" he said with his mouth full as he opened the door. "You've nothing to worry about, I'm eat-" Merlin cut off abruptly when he realized that it wasn’t Gwen at the door, but Arthur Pendragon with bags under his eyes, looking as though he hadn't slept in days. Merlin stopped mid-chew and stared at the other man for a moment before starting to close the door in his face.

"Merlin," Arthur said, stopping the door with his hand. "You need to hear me out. You need to know the whole story." Merlin snorted.

"I really don't think this is the time for you're lies and false apologies." Arthur shook his head, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I - I did know what was going to happen - what Morgana was going to do," said Arthur and opened his mouth to continue. Merlin cut him off.

"And that is why I have no desire to hear what you have to say," Merlin said abruptly and tried to close the door. Again, Arthur stopped him. "Will you just fuck off?" Merlin shouted, banging his fist on the door and dropping his bowl to the floor. It shattered, sending the contents flying everywhere and out of the corner of his eye, Merlin saw Arthur jump.

"I'm not leaving until you hear me out. I know you have a lot going on, but I need to clear this up. Just give me two minutes and if you don't want to know me after that, I'll leave you alone. For good." Arthur was pleading. His voice was hoarse and something in his tone made Merlin truly believe that maybe he did need to hear it. He held the door open.

"Two minutes."

Merlin was sitting on the kitchen counter and Arthur paced, trying to find the best way to start. He turned to Merlin.

Arthur took a deep breath and, stepping forward said in one go, "five days ago, my father told me about the plans to buy out the pub for a luxury flat development. I didn't actually know it was this one until Monday, and when I found out... Merlin, you don't know my father. I would have had to explain to him how I knew the pub and I wasn't ready to do that. It's cowardly of me, I know, but at the time, all I was thinking about was how to get out of it - how to get you out of it."

"Keep going," Merlin said, rubbing his eyes. "You've got another ninety seconds."

"Then Morgana was brought into it and you met her the other day. She's like a dog with a bone. She's determined to get this place for her client and she won't stop until she gets it. I don't know how I can help you if you won't let me give you the money. If you don't pay, you get sixty days to shut down business and vacate. It's the law. If you give her the reason, she'll evict you, and the way she is being about this particular development, I'm not sure paying everything back is even going to make a difference. I've never seen her so... driven."

"You're saying that we're going to lose it?"

"No, I'm saying if you don't _do_ something you're going to lose it."

"Why this place though? It's hardly the idea location for luxury flats. This isn't the most happening place in the area. It doesn't make sense when you think about it."

"I know, Merlin. That’s what I thought too. I'll be looking into it, but for now I need to know you believe me. I'm going to do everything I can to help you and Gawain fight Morgana and my father off. I love them, they're my family, but I love this place too and I know you two do. We've got to do something."

"I believe you, but I don't know what other option I have. I won't take your money, and neither will Gawain. That's non-negotiable. There will have to be another way." Merlin yawned loudly. Arthur stopped pacing and turned to look at him.

"You should get some sleep. I assume that's what you came home for?" Arthur asked. Merlin nodded. "Then I'll go.” Arthur pulled out his wallet and dug out a business card. “I’ll give you my number. Let me know if you need anything." Merlin nodded again through a yawn. Arthur found a pen in his pocket flipped the business card over and wrote on the back.

"That's my personal mobile. Ring it anytime, alright?"

"I'll be fine," Merlin said, and gestured towards the door.

"Thanks for listening," Arthur said, opening the door.

"You were incredibly annoying. I thought I'd last the two minutes then tell you to piss off," Merlin replied. Arthur opened his mouth to retort, but was drowned out by shouts from the other side of the flat door.

" _Merlin! Fucking hell. Unlock the fucking door_!" a voice shouted from behind the door. Merlin's eyes widened. He looked at Arthur in horror.

"That's Will. He's early by hours," Merlin said quietly, his voice and hand shaking.

"I'm sure he's just come to check on you," Arthur replied as he bounded to the entrance to let Will in. He opened the door to Will, who was flustered and breathing heavily.

"What are you doing here, you prick?" Will said, looking between Arthur and Merlin.

"What's happening, Will?" Merlin asked, joining them. Will swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Merlin, I'm so - I don't know how to - we've got to go. Gwen says that he hasn't got long.”

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-4.gif)


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

The buzz of voices in the pub sounded dull to Merlin's ears. The countless hours of sleep he'd skipped to balance pub accounts and ensure that his cousin's former business was still running properly and potentially pulling out of debt was starting to take a toll on him.

He went to wipe at a dirty spot on the counter, but his hand slipped sideways and he ended up bending his wrist in a way that it naturally wouldn't go. He managed a pained fist before Freya was hovering near him.

"Are you alright?" she asked timidly.

"I'm fine. Fucking fantastic," Merlin snapped, the pain in his wrist suddenly flaring to unbearable levels. He pushed at his burning eyes with the palm of his other hand and sighed. "Sorry. It's been a rough couple of days."

"I know," she put a hand to his shoulder and wrapped a thin arm around his waist. "You've been working too hard."

Merlin shook his head. "No harder than Gawain worked every day."

"He didn't go to university full time too. I'm sure Will, Lance, and Gwen would be willing to put in a few extra hours with me so that you can get some rest and plan things out," Freya said, resting her head against his shoulder.

Merlin sagged under the added weight. "I still haven't organized the funeral. Gawain has a huge list of friends to invite. I'll need to call them. And then the casket is out of my budget. This is just such a mess Freya."

"I know, I know it is. We'll do anything to help," Freya soothed, tenderly rubbing her fingers across his cheek.

"Merlin," Will shouted from the other end of the bar, "phone's for you." He waved the receiver in the air.

Freya gave him a peck on the cheek, "want me to take it?"

Merlin shook his head and made the short walk to the phone. "This is Merlin."

"Merlin Emrys? We have an impounded vehicle. Thought you might like to pick it up," rattled out a nasally male voice.

"No, keep it," Merlin said, determined not to see the death machine again, but butterflies suddenly exploded in his stomach. "Actually... I can come have a look at it this evening if that’s alright."

"Of course, it's yours to do as you please."

***********  
Night had already descended by the time he arrived at the junk yard. The rusting cars and motorcycles were stacked above the sharp metal fences with barbed wire stretched across the top. A single dog barked when he rattled the bell at the entrance way.

"Comin'," a gruff voice shouted over the increased dramatic wail of the dog.

Merlin waited all of two minutes before letting himself in. An old man was tethering a dog to an especially large, broken vehicle.

"Excuse me," Merlin huffed, growing impatient, "I'm here for my vehicle."

"Ah yes," he said, standing up slowly as if in pain. When he turned to greet Merlin his eyes gave a quick up and down look over him. "Strapping young lad aren't ya?"

"The car, please," Merlin said, unimpressed, and was grateful that the old man immediately waved him to follow along behind his limping figure.

"Your cousin did a number to it. I reckon he lost control o' the car when the engine cut out..." he prattled on as they approached the ruined car illuminated by a single blinking light.

"Somethin' funny happened to a belt in there which short circuited the entire vehicle. That'll happen when a cars not properly cared for. Though she must o' been a beauty when she was intact-"

Merlin stopped listening, not wanting to hear the gruesome details of what killed his only remaining family. He swallowed, struggling against the sudden dryness in his throat, and laid his hand against the remains of the car.

The instant his flesh touched the cold metal surface a shock ran up his fingers, all the way to his toes. He shivered and pulled his hand away as though it had burnt him.

"Somethin' the matter lad?" Merlin felt himself shake his head, but only distantly, and eyeballed the car, heart skipping a beat when he realized that what he’d felt sparked like magic. Why would his car have magic?

He startled from his thoughts when the old man shook his shoulder.

"I um... I don't have any way to get it home. Can I come back to pick it up?"

"I thought you'd wanted me ta thrash it?"

"No, I think I'll try to... restore her or something," Merlin said.

"There's a lad," the man said, patting Merlin's shoulder. "It'll be here whenever ya can manage to pick it up."

***********  
His rental car seemed to sputter on the way home, as though it knew that his own vehicle wouldn’t be parking next to it any time soon. Merlin managed to make it back to the lot right before it finally coughed to a stop. Sighing, he kicked the door open and went inside the pub. Will looked up from the counter and gave him a reassuring smile. Merlin shook his head.

“How are you going to get it then?” Will asked a bit later that evening after Merlin had confessed what the car had emitted into his body.

“I don’t know,” Merlin said.

“Why don’t you call Arthur, he’d probably do anything for you,” Will said as though it were the most obvious solution.

Merlin crossed his arms stubbornly, “I don’t want his help Will.”

“He did offer it though,” Will responded, rolling his eyes. “You’d be a sodding idiot if you didn’t at least have him pick the damn thing up for you.”

“Alright, fine. He’s only going to say no,” Merlin pulled his phone out and dialed the number, waited a few rings and then nearly jumped out of his seat when Arthur actually picked up.

“This is Arthur Pendragon,” came the familiar voice.

“So professional,” Merlin snapped, feeling irrationally irritated. “Look, I need a favour. You said you’d help me out.”

“Yeah…” Arthur’s voice said over the line.

“I need to pick up my car from a junk yard. Tonight,” Merlin said quickly, just to see if Arthur would actually go out of his way on such short notice.

“Tonight?”

“Never mind,” Merlin bit out, “I can do it on my own.” He poked the phone off, effectively ending the conversation.

When he looked over at Will, Will’s eyes were wide, eyebrows shot up under his hair.

“What?” Merlin snapped.

“Tonight? Doesn’t a junk yard usually lock up after a certain hour?” Will asked, eyebrows still hiding beneath his bangs.

Merlin ran his fingers through his hair, feeling an overwhelming sensation to just beat his head against a wall. “I don’t know why I just did that.”

Will put a hand to his shoulder, “I do.”

Eyeing him critically, Merlin felt his phone vibrate. Will’s gaze shot down to his pocket and back up again as if to say _pick it up_ and Merlin did.

***********  
“I had a feeling they’d be closed,” Arthur said, watching Merlin kick viciously at the gate. He motioned at the rental truck and trailer behind them, “we’ve got an entire three hours before this has to be back.”

“I want to get the car tonight,” Merlin said, suddenly feeling urgent about it and entirely determined.

Arthur sagged against the fence. “And how are we going to get it then?” A single eyebrow quirked up and a slight smile slanted his lips. “I hear a dog in there. It’s probably trained to bite off dicks.”

Merlin grimaced and squeezed his thighs together protectively.

“I’ll distract it,” he said after a moment of thought.

“How? Dangle some of the meat we didn’t bring,” Arthur hissed. “No, we can come back and get the car tomorrow.”

Merlin shook his head, “I knew there was a dog, I just forgot. So, I’ll distract it and you can get the car into the trailer. The wheels are still functional and I’m pretty sure it can be slipped into neutral.”

Arthur gave him a sidelong look, a smile on his lips, “I can be the decoy-”

“No!” Merlin’s hands shook with frustration, “I can’t touch it okay?”

There was a beat of silence and then Arthur shook his head, “Merlin, I’ll come back tomorrow, _in the daylight_ when it’s legal to take the car alright? You‘re acting rashly because you‘re upset. I thought you‘d come to your senses before you resorted to theft.”

Merlin was just about to tell him to shove his chivalrous attitude up his arse when he heard someone in the distance. “Wait,” he hissed, putting a hand on Arthur’s shoulder and pushing him into a shadowed corner by the bars of the gate.

Arthur looked down at his hand. “Now is not exactly the time to-,” a voice came floating from the distance. “Who’s that?”

“Shhh,” Merlin said, squeezing Arthur’s shoulder and feeling his heart beat quicken.

“-they haven’t a clue,” came a soft voice. “I’ll destroy the car now.”

Arthur poked his head around the bar. “I don’t recognize her,” Arthur whispered.

Merlin pushed him further into the shadows and watched carefully. A blonde woman who appeared frail underneath a thick trench coat was making her way in the direction of the mangled car.

“We should go,” Merlin said breathlessly, a sudden chill running down his spine at the sight of her and then turned to leave.

“Did you know who that was?” Arthur asked as they made their way back to the truck, Arthur trailing behind Merlin who had picked up a near run.

“No,” he said firmly, “and I have no desire to find out.”

**********  
It wasn’t as though Merlin couldn’t have easily broken his way into the junk yard to take the car, because he certainly could and probably _would_ have if Arthur hadn’t been there to stop him. Clearly, his senses weren’t all there and he counted it as a brownie point for Arthur that he didn’t let Merlin sink to that level.

Arthur insisted on calling the police to report the person who had done exactly what Merlin previously wanted to and when he clicked off his bluetooth- of course the posh git would have a bluetooth- he didn’t say anything until they got back to the pub.

“I’ll walk you up.”

Merlin shook his head, “I’m a man. I can handle a flight of stairs sober.”

Arthur turned in the truck seat, “I know you can. But are you sure you want to do it alone?”

“Why do I get the feeling you mean more than climbing stairs?” Merlin asked him critically.

“Smarter than you look,” Arthur said and faced front again. “I’ll pick up your car first thing tomorrow morning.”

Merlin leaned over the seat instinctively and awkwardly patted Arthur’s arm, allowing his fingers to linger for a few minutes longer than he normally would. “Thanks.” He pulled back quickly and cleared his throat.

“I’ll call you,” Arthur said just before Merlin flung the door open and jumped out.

“Yeah,” Merlin said and shut the door with more force than was necessary.

*************

“Did that prat knock you to your senses?” Will asked the instant Merlin entered the flat.

“What are you doing here?”

“Not an answer mate.” Merlin shrugged and grabbed a coat.

Merlin sighed, “I’m going to the garden.” Will leaned forward as if to ask to join. Merlin motioned for him to stay and shrugged on his jacket, “I need some time alone.”

Will’s face showed his concern but Merlin didn’t really fell up to addressing it so he left and made his way to the rooftop garden. Two of the basil plants had died in the short time Merlin was busy with the pub, but he closed his eyes and whispered a few reviving spells and when he opened them again they were fully grown and vibrant again.

“What’s the point of having a garden if you don’t put in the actual labor keeping it alive?” Will’s voice asked from behind him.

“I thought I told you I wanted to be alone.” Merlin said. He could feel the exhaustion from the past few days suddenly overwhelm him.

“I just brought you extra blankets and a pillow actually,” Will said, “I have an inkling you’ll be sleeping up here tonight.”

Merlin felt his throat tighten, but he managed to push out a quick thank you, leave them by the door before he felt the first salty tear find its way down his cheek.

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-5.gif)


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Merlin rose to the thin rays of sunlight heating his eyelids. He pulled himself from the dream he was having about rebinding his history text book and rolled himself over until the tip of his nose nicked against Gawain’s pillow.

Merlin stretched once and gave a jaw-popping yawn. He waited until the sun reached his toes to push himself up from the floor and fold together the blankets he'd slept on top of the night before. Everything from the day earlier was a blur. He vaguely remembered falling asleep crying and trying to collect his car and-- oh shit!

Merlin raced down to the apartment only to find Will making waffles. "Did anyone call my mobile?"

Will jumped so high that he nearly dropped the spatula he was unsuccessfully using to prod at the still runny waffle mix. "You almost fucking gave me a heart attack."

"Did anyone call me?" Merlin asked more emphatically.

"Your mobile vibrated at seven this morning. Why anyone in their right mind would call someone who owns a pub at seven I just don't know," Will mumbled, turning back to the batter.

Stumbling for his footing Merlin raced to where he'd last seen his mobile. The red light was blinking, indicating that he had a voicemail. Desperately he picked it up and clicked to voicemail.

There was a single crackle and then Arthur said clear as day, "I dropped off the car this morning in the car park. The old man nearly had my throat when he found out it was me who called the cops last night about the break in. Anyway, call me if you need anything."

Merlin clicked it off and felt his shoulders sag. He'd been certain that Arthur would have forgotten.

"Who was it anyway? And the waffles are ready," Will said from around the corner.

"No one. Just had my car brought back," Merlin said. "Are they burnt?"

"Just a little... actually, a lot, but they'll taste okay, I’ve scraped off most of the crappy bits," Will said. Merlin went into the kitchen and sat down in front of a pile of slightly-charred waffles.

"I've always wondered how you were able to graduate culinary school," Merlin said, pushing the plate towards Will when he gave him a raise of his eyebrows.

"I can cook a bad arse omelet," Will responded coldly, "but since someone here is allergic to eggs and pretty much every ingredient I would put into it I can't do that now can I?"

Merlin smiled sheepishly, "It's not my fault. I was born this way."

"- I’m on the right track baby I was born this way heeeey!" Will responded in an out-of-tune sing-song voice.

Merlin rolled his eyes, "I'm going to confiscate your radio one of these days."

"I'll just live in someone’s car then," Will said, shoving his mouth full of waffle and sputtering. "Oh god, these are terrible."

"Let's eat out," Merlin said. "How about Jester?"

Will gave him a skeptical look, "you sure you can handle that?"

"Why is everyone so concerned that I'll break down?" Merlin said suddenly, his voice pitching higher than normal. "I'm not a piece of glass. I can eat at Gawain’s favourite café and not burst into tears."

"No, but you did just lose someone you love. Trust me, I know what it feels like," Will said, tossing the waffles into the trash. “All it takes is the smallest of reminders.”

"Thanks, but I can handle it, especially if there is a stack of Rosa’s blueberry pancakes there for me." Merlin pushed himself violently from the chair and ambled his way into his bedroom to change into some decent clothes. His pants sagged a little when he buttoned them, but one of Gawain's belts worked well enough to hold them up.

When Merlin went back into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, Will was sitting patiently on the kitchen counter.

"You know, it's okay to admit that you're not alright," Will said. He hopped off the counter and went over to block the doorway. "In fact, I think it's healthier if you talk about it instead of acting as though nothing has happened."

Merlin's mouth went dry. He had to swallow a few gulps of water before he could look at Will again. "I've already been crying over it enough. Please stop forcing this on me, Will."

"But you're hiding it," Will crossed his arms, "and we all know it because we feel the pain too and we turn to each other for help."

Merlin sat down heavily on the chair. "I... there's just so much to do. And yesterday, with the car..." Merlin’s voice trailed off into silence. Will nodded encouragingly when Merlin gave him a hesitant look.

Merlin ran his fingers through his hair. "I thought I felt something coming off of it."

"Heat?" Will asked, although the question sounded dumb.

"No. I thought I felt-- I think I might be imagining it-- I thought I felt magic," Merlin said, glancing at Will to see if he was looking at Merlin like he was crazy.

"You think someone did something to the car?" Will asked. He walked over and sat across from Merlin.

"I don't know. But last night there was someone in there on her mobile phone talking about destroying it and that there needed to be no proof," Merlin said, heart aching at the sudden realization that Gawain's death might not have been an accident after all.

"Is the car here?" Will asked softly.

"Car park, under the black tarp," Merlin said. They both stood up and left the flat together, Will’s arm on Merlin’s shoulder the whole time. Merlin led the way and when they made it to the car park he walked over and removed the tarp, revealing the mangled car.

"God," Will groaned, "it's ruined."

"Yeah," Merlin slowly went up to it and stretched out his hand until his fingers brushed the metal. A flare of something that was neither warm nor cold pushed through his body. He pulled away, letting out a tiny gasp, closed his eyes, and then laid his hand flat against the metal.

The next thing Merlin saw was the sky and Will’s concerned face.

“Merlin? Finally,” Will breathed out. He reached out one hand to grab Merlin’s upper arm and another to slide behind his shoulder and help him sit upright. “You’ve been out for a few minutes. I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance.”

Merlin shook his head to clear it and then stared at the car, mind reeling.

“Will, it has traces of magic. Powerful. Destructive.” Merlin curled his legs up to his chest. “Gawain’s dead because of magic!”

Will rested his hand on Merlin’s shoulder. “It’s not your magic that killed him.”

A weight pushed down on his shoulders until he nodded and then Will was suddenly pulling him into a tight embrace. “We’ll get through this.”

Merlin ambled his way into the the pub. Will patted him one last time on the shoulder and then left to start organizing the bar area for the night.

Merlin went, half unfocused, to the stairway and unconsciously made his way down to the magic room. The secret entrance creaked as he opened it, musty dust flew forcefully up his nostrils until he had to sneeze at the itch.

The books sat idly, unused, waiting for him to crack them open and start studying again. Merlin resisted the sudden urge to knock them all to the floor when a bubbling anger rose up his chest and tightened his throat.

Magic, magic did this and Merlin was helpless against it. His own magic useless in the face of danger and unhelpful in saving his cousin's life.

The anger slowly sank into resignation. Dust swirled up around him as he thought up spell after spell to form it into the shape of Gawain's face. He reached his fingers out to touch the Gawain's shoulder. They went straight through the tiny granules and Merlin let the figure collapse back into nothing.

Hours later found Merlin behind the bar for the first time since his cousin’s death. He’d dealt with a lot of regulars, all of them offering their condolences and their help in any way they could. While it was a little overwhelming, Merlin found it soothing that Gawain had been so well liked and that as long as the pub was open, there would be happy memories around every corner, in every conversation, in every pint.

He shuffled through the paperwork in his hand, checking that all the figures were right so that it could be sent to the accountant for filing. He felt a familiar uneasy heat course through his body. He glanced around the bar, slightly panicked.

“It’s not going to be easy, is it?” a strong female voice said from behind him, “taking on this place by yourself.” Merlin looked and was greeted with the sight of Morgana, her well-manicured fingers folded around a tall glass in front of her. Not a hair was out of place. She looked as though she’d just come from the office.

“I really have nothing to say to you, Miss. Not today,” he said, clenching his teeth together. His ears were burning and he could feel magic in the bar, but couldn’t pin point where it was coming from. He placed the papers out of sight and started rearranging the bottles and glasses on the bar.

“Don’t be like that Merlin,” Morgana replied and placed a hand over his wrist. “I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s not easy losing someone you love.” Merlin watched her carefully and noticed a far-away look in her eyes, not unlike someone who had indeed lost someone close to them.

“Thank you.”

“My mother died when I was five years old, I can’t even really remember anything about her,” she said, releasing Merlin’s hand and taking a sip of her drink. “I know I’m lucky to have Arthur and Uther in my life, but sometimes I really wonder if it’s the same as having someone around that’s your flesh and blood. I guess I’ll never know.”

“I think,” Merlin said, rolling a glass between his hands, “that family is what you make of the people around you. I don’t think you have to be biologically related to truly love someone unconditionally. I’m not sure what I’d do without my friends.”

“You make a very honest and valid point. Now, have you decided what to do about your studies and the pub? It’s going to be very hard to balance both I would imagine. Will you be hiring extra help? Can you afford it?” Morgana asked, changing the subject quickly. Merlin narrowed his eyes.

“I’m just trying to get through the next few days. Why are you so interested anyway? Gawain told you this place wasn’t for sale.” Merlin could feel himself getting worked up and was itching to get away from Morgana, his breathing quickening in frustration.

“Things have changed since then, Merlin. Your cousin isn’t here anymore. I’m just trying to make you understand that there are options. You don’t have to do this alone and you don’t have to dig yourself into a financial hole that you’ll never get out of.” Morgana stood up and pushed her empty glass towards him. “Think about it. You know you don’t have a chance at keeping this place and I’m giving you an out. No one would think less of you for letting go.”

“I’m not selling. It’s not what my uncle would have wanted,” Merlin said, his voice starting to shake.

“Your uncle had no idea what he was doing when he started this place, and look where you are now. You’re in a massive pile of debt and it’s only getting bigger as each day passes. He was as bad a businessman as he was an incompetent doctor,” snapped Morgana, and Merlin swore he saw a flash of something in her eyes. It unsettled him and he wanted her gone.

“You need to tell me what the hell you are playing at, or you need to leave,” Merlin said, his voice low and shaking with anger. Morgana didn’t argue; she stood up and started walking towards the door, turning back to Merlin only once to impart a message.

“You’re so blind to all this.”

Merlin slumped down against the bar and let out a shaky breath. There was something about Morgana. He wasn’t stupid, he could feel the magic around her, in her, and it made him nervous. He knew if he could feel her magic, she could feel his. He was waiting for the pin to drop. He felt, in his heart, it wouldn’t be pretty.

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-6.gif)


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Merlin woke with a start. His magic was buzzing under his skin. The sun’s rays poured through his window, casting a golden light across the room. Merlin rolled over and sighed. He’d been up until the early hours going over and over his conversation with Morgana, trying to figure out what her deal was. There was more to it, he knew that, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

He knew he needed to be worrying about making the arrangements for Gawain’s funeral and sorting out the books for the pub, but he couldn’t focus on anything else. He needed answers.

He pushed his covers back and threw on his dressing gown, padding into the kitchen to make himself something for breakfast. The fridge was sparse, but Gwen had made sure he had milk, toast, and jam, but he knew he’d have to do a proper grocery shop sometime soon. It had been something he’d done with Gawain, the two of them fighting over what went into the trolley and trying to one-up each other by sneaking all kinds of random items in, designed to embarrass the other when they finally made it, an hour later, up to the checkout.

As he was spreading jam onto his toast, Merlin was struck by a thought. Throwing the piece of toast into his mouth, he fumbled his way through the mess in the lounge and out the front door, intending to head down to his magic room to find the book he needed.

Taking the stairs down three at a time, Merlin almost tripped on a broken vase. He wasn't sure when it had fallen, possibly when he had come in the night before, but honestly it didn’t matter right then. He righted it and continued on his way.

Merlin tripped again on the door jam he used to hold the pub door open on hot days. He wondered when that had gotten there. Perhaps he really had been too distracted after his discussion with Morgana. Something about her really didn't sit right with him.

She had a venom in her eyes, and he knew that she couldn't hate him so much for not wanting to sell her the pub. Anyone could see that he loved the place, that he and Gawain had made it their own after Gaius had passed on, adding their own personality quirks to the pub through posters, furniture, and glassware. It was theirs and they had kept it because they loved Gaius and their family, and Merlin wasn't about to give that up now.

Turning the handle between the pub and the staircase leading to the basement that housed the replacement kegs, and behind another door, his magic room, Merlin was surprised to find it unlocked. He could unlock it without a key, but anyone else in the pub that had access to the cellar needed the key housed in the office. Merlin made his way past the boxes of wine and kegs of beer to another door, hidden by a bookcase. Pushing the bookcase with his mind, it shifted sideways, revealing another door. He unlocked it, his eyes glowing gold and stepped through.

The room was chaos. Books, trinkets, and furniture were in upheaval. Someone had been in there, that much was clear, but who? And why? Merlin climbed around the mess, his hands and breath shaking, looking for a sign that something was missing. There were ripped pages and glass everywhere and he could barely formulate his thoughts. He couldn't see anything glaringly obvious missing, but he'd have to have a closer look when it was tidy.

"No time like the present," he muttered, and channeled all of his energy and focus into cleaning the room as quickly and quietly as possible. He watched as broken things repaired themselves and furniture righted itself, wood that had been splintered moments ago, now fixed and back in it's rightful place. The books had catalogued themselves in alphabetical order again, and Merlin knew all he'd have to do would be to look at them in order to find what was missing, if anything.

He'd poured over the items in this room so many times, trying to understand why he had magic and trying to learn what he could do with it. It was the best thing Gaius had ever done for him, leaving him all this stuff and helping him to understand his abilities. He wished Gaius was still there, he'd have perhaps been able to help ease the sting of betrayal. The room was so personal for Merlin and it made his skin crawl knowing that someone had so easily damaged it without his permission. Taking one final look about at the reorganized chaos, he left the room, ensuring it was locked and reinforced with magic he'd not yet experimented with, magic he didn't even know would work.

After spending most of the day on the phone making arrangements for flowers and a casket, Merlin finally made his way downstairs to the bar where it was busy, but not chaotic. He didn't have to look far to know Arthur was there; he could feel the other man's eyes on him almost instantly. He could feel _everyone's_ eyes on him and it made him wonder why he'd thought it was a good idea for him to come down. Maybe it was too soon. He gave Freya a small wave and turned to leave again.

"Merlin!" Arthur called, making his way across the room, almost barreling into another patron who's arms were laden with drinks for himself and friends. He watched Arthur raise an apologetic hand to the man, who laughed and kept moving. Merlin stepped out of the busy bar and into the office, gesturing for Arthur to follow him.

"Thanks for dropping the car off," he said, sitting on top of the desk and folding his arms. Arthur was watching him carefully, with the same look he had seen everyone giving him over the past few days.

“It’s fine. Anything I can do to help...” Arthur added, leaning against the door frame

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-7.gif)


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine:

The usual bar crowd had no problem with the temporary closure of the pub for Gawain's funeral. Merlin felt guilty putting a sign up that described the process and asked for any assistance necessary, but Will and Gwance insisted he do so because frequent bar attendees would want to know exactly what was going on and help as much as humanly possible.

Two days before the scheduled funeral Merlin received an anonymous letter asking that a collation be held. Hesitantly, Merlin decided to put aside a day to do so in the pub.

He found himself ushering a very hesitant Will into the pub on the day of the actual collation.

By mid morning more than two dozen people had approached Merlin with their comforting words and some gave him brief hugs. Merlin didn't recognize half of the people, decked out in flamboyant leotards and odd-coloured clothing. Merlin's own black suit and tie felt out of place among all the bright colored shirts, dresses, and jackets.

When Lance arrived, he was wearing a tye-dyed tank top and pink shoes. Gwen wore a more modest dark blue dress and stilettos.

"Why are you in black?" Lance asked in a tone that honestly conveyed confusion. "Gawain would have wanted us all in technicolor."

Merlin smiled sadly, "I don't want to wear colour today."

Freya came around from behind Lance in a tight mini skirt and pink shirt. From the other side, Arthur stepped out in a black, crisp suit. He looked only mildly surprised that no one else was wearing black until his gaze landed on Merlin. Arthur’s expression was the perfect mixture of sympathetic and reassuring. Merlin felt his throat constrict ever so slightly before he turned to Freya and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Oh Merlin,” Freya whispered into his ear and wrapped her arms gently around his waist. Lancelot and Guinevere quickly joined into the hug, seamlessly holding Merlin in the centre.

Merlin caught Arthur’s eyes as he stood awkwardly to the side. Without a moment’s hesitation Merlin extended his hand. Arthur took a beat before stepping forward to clasp it and join in the group hug. The loud talking and occasional bout of sniffles suddenly disappeared and Merlin could only feel his friends holding him close as he desperately clung to them.

Merlin's attempt to calm himself worked only enough to have him not sobbing every time someone mentioned Gawain's name. He checked on the food, and went to start behind the bar. Gwance and Will were putting up a large blown up picture of Gawain behind the counter.

"You think you're up for saying a few words?" Will asked calmly from his position of spotter for the poster.

"I... honestly don't know," Merlin said, "I need to mix drinks for everyone and then I have to make sure the snacks don't run out and ensure that no one steals anything or tries to break into my den again, and-"

"I'll mix drinks," Arthur suddenly said from behind a rather flamboyant man wearing purple hair extensions.

Merlin took a deep breath, "I don't need help."

"You may not need it, but I'm trying to give it anyway," Arthur reassured. "I'm not a heavy hand or anything, you won't lose your hard earned money."

"That's not what he meant," Gwen reassured, having finished hanging the portrait. "He'll gladly take your help Arthur. You're wonderful to offer."

Merlin shot Gwen his best 'why would you put words into my mouth' look before sighing. "Alright. Just... don't botch anything. Don't break any glasses, and don't, whatever you do, use the two shot measure. We don't need a bunch of drunk transgenders groping each other tonight."

Arthur nodded, face stony serious, "anything else?"

"Don't take yourself too seriously," Lance said in his best mock Gawain voice. He patted Merlin on the shoulder. "Gwen and I have the food covered and Will can be the bodyguard to your safe room."

Merlin glanced hesitantly at his friends. Freya smiled and Gwen bit her bottom lip.

"What did I do to deserve you guys?" The smile that Merlin allowed to slip was met with nods and reassured 'you're wonderful Merlin' from everyone.

"Why don't you go talk to some of the guests?" Freya suggested.

Merlin nodded numbly. Freya latched herself onto his arm and guided him around the bar until they bumped into a relatively harmless looking midget who had just shown up.

"Merlin eh?" the short man asked, but didn't wait for a response. "Your cousin, fiesty fella that 'en. Idda never known the likes before."

Merlin wasn't sure how to respond, he was probably gaping by the time Freya finally took over and said politely, "thank you for your condolences."

They rushed away. Freya let out a hollow laugh, "I don't know whether or not that was amusing." Merlin put his hand over hers, still sitting gently on the crook of his elbow.

"I think that some of these people knew a side of Gawain I avoided at all costs." He spotted the drummer from Avalon across the room and steered Freya in her general direction.

"Merlin!" she said and flung herself into his arms. Freya had to launch herself sideways to avoid any flailing limbs.

"Hi Susan," Merlin said, extracting himself from the tight embrace.

"I'm so so sorry about Gawain. That man, well... in one word I suppose I would call him a pervert, but two? Hot pervert." She elbowed Merlin's ribs, "I know he would have wanted us to have a party in his memory, yeah?"

Merlin had to rub at his eyes before responding, "yeah, yeah I guess he would have, but he's dead yeah? I'm sure you can understand why I wouldn't want to have a party right now."

Susan fell silent, the humorous smile swiped from her face, "I'm just trying to lighten things up a bit."

"Well I don't need you to fucking try and lighten things up," Merlin snapped. Freya suddenly tugged at his arm.

"Merlin!"

"No. Fucking lunatics, the lot of them," Merlin hissed so only Freya could hear.

"They're Gawain's friends. Like you said, they saw a different side of him," Freya replied a hint of frustration in the tone of her voice, "and they have a right to mourn his death just as much as you."

Merlin rubbed his eyes again, they burnt with the familiar warning of tears. "I know it's... god Freya. I can't look at them and know that Gawain won't ever be able to spend time with them anymore."

"No, _he_ won't," Freya said soothingly, "but you will."

Involuntarily, a soft, empty laugh escaped Merlin's mouth. "I don't give a damn about them."

"You don't mean that," she said. "You're just tired. You've been doing everything for the funeral while still running the pub and going to school. Maybe you should go relax for a while. I'm sure that Gwance, Will, Arthur, and I can handle this for however long you need alright?"

Merlin looked up and over the heads of the people still gathered in the pub, talking in low voices and sipping at drinks. Arthur was hard at work making drinks for everyone. He had taken off his jacket and hung it by a tiny hole at the collar on a wine rack behind him.

When he looked back at Freya, she too had been observing Arthur and returned Merlin's gaze with a calculating one of her own. "Do you trust him?"

He nodded.

"Then go and sit down for a while. We'll be here when you get back." She pushed him gently towards the door.

Merlin's feet felt heavy as he climbed the flight of stairs. Countless times he had ambled his way up, carrying Gawain, Will or one of Gawain's friends. On numerous occasions, he had nearly slipped and broken his neck after a torrential rain storm. Then there were the hilarious moments that Gawain would use paper bags at the grocers and end up busting them so that oranges and apples rolled in every conceivable direction. The middle of the stairs were beginning to sag from use and the railing was rubbed smooth by oily hands.

Then, at the very top of the stairs, Gawain had carved a naked woman's chest into the backing when he was twelve and beside it Merlin had carved 'I'm telling', which of course he never had. Gaius' old eyes had no hope of ever seeing the art anyway.

Merlin bent down and traced his finger along the carving, imagining Gawain's chubby twelve year old cheeks bunching up into a smile as he laughed at Merlin's ridiculous threat.

Downstairs, Gawain's friends were mourning someone they had known, at most, five years, while Merlin was mourning his life long best friend and family member.

Slowly, Merlin pushed his way into the apartment, exhaustion finally catching up with him in one huge wave. He had been going non-stop for too long now. He hadn't even had a proper chance to sit and let everything sink in. Maybe he didn't want to. Staying busy meant not having to deal with the terrible reality his life had become since Gawain, the twisted events leading up to it and crazy Morgana LeFay.

He plopped himself onto the couch and flung himself into a lying position, waving his fingers back and forth, lightening and dimming the lights with a whisper.

A few minutes later he found himself dozing comfortably.

Vaguely, Merlin remembered waking up to a jacket laid carefully over his shoulders. Why his memory chose to latch onto that was a mystery, and then suddenly, he remembered the hole in the collar. The same hole he had seen on the jacket Arthur had hanging behind him in the pub today. Merlin sat bolt upright. The blood rushed quickly to his head and he felt dizzy as he pushed himself to his feet.

It had been Arthur who had come and visited Gawain in the hospital and covered him with the jacket! All along, Arthur had been there. He had waited for Merlin to call, responded to Merlin's needs instantly, and given him looks that were not just an act to make Merlin feel better. Arthur, fucking frilly drink Arthur Pendragon, was in love with him. How had he been so blind? How had he been so blind to his own passions for the man?

Merlin spent one last moment taking in the situation before he rushed from the flat and down the stairs. The pub was still crowded with the same people wearing the same crazy outfits, but Merlin's vision had tunneled onto Arthur, who still stood behind the bar pouring beer in his crisp, white shirt.

Without thinking, Merlin sped his way to Arthur and when he got there Arthur had to take a step back to dodge Merlin's quick approach. The glass in his fingers slipped and Merlin had to reflexively catch it with magic and guide it to the counter where it spilt a good amount across the polished wood. The gentleman waiting for it gave a shout of dismay and then glared between Arthur and Merlin before turning up his nose and stomping away.

"Everything alright?" Arthur asked with honest concern.

"Everything's fucking fantastic," Merlin said firmly and grabbed Arthur's wrist to yank him from the bar. He didn't stop pulling even though Arthur protested loudly from behind him.

They made it to the bottom of the stairs leading to Merlin's magic room and Merlin finally stopped himself. He turned to Arthur, not relinquishing his firm grip on Arthur's wrist.

Merlin’s heart beat in his ears as he leaned forward and pushed his lips to Arthur’s so firmly that Arthur’s head thumped softly against the wall behind him. At first Arthur didn’t respond. Finally, after Merlin had exhausted every option of twisting his lips along the thin expanse of Arthur’s, Arthur put his hands at Merlin’s waist, finger tips digging into his back, and pulled him flush against his chest.

Slowly, Merlin raised his hands and laid them flat against the wall behind Arthur’s head, all the better leverage, and was just about to do something wild with his tongue when Arthur turned his face away.

Arthur breathed in heavily as Merlin pressed his lips along his jaw and down to the straining tendons on his neck.

"Merlin, I don't want you to do this because you're emotionally distressed," Arthur confessed as Merlin sucked hungrily at Arthur's neck.

"Shut up," Merlin hissed and brought his lips up to Arthur's earlobe. "You think too much."

Arthur let out a low groan, but instantly pushed at Merlin's chest. "Stop Merlin. Stop!"

Merlin pulled away and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "What? I thought you might want this!"

"I do, god, I've wanted it for a long time. But not now. I want to take you on a date and tell you how fucking gorgeous you look and be there for you when you need me. Like right now. You need me now and not for what you think you do," Arthur said breathlessly.

The air left Merlin's lungs in one giant sucker punch of realization.

Arthur stepped forward and put his hand carefully on Merlin's shoulder. "I understand. Let's work our way through this first."

Merlin nodded slowly. "I'm sorry."

Carefully, Arthur pulled Merlin into a close, intimate, and perfect embrace. His chest rumbled as he said, "it's alright. It's alright to be open with me. Just let go."

When the ground lurched because of Merlin's suddenly weak knees, Arthur was there to hold him up and the tears that easily escaped found purchase against the skin of Arthur's neck.

*******************

The day was quick and ended painlessly. Arthur stood behind the bar and mixed one last round for Gwance, Will, Merlin, and himself. Friends of Gawain left behind beer and new items for the pub. The midget left behind a new dart board with dulled darts for safety.

Arthur motioned for Merlin to join him at the bar from the pile of sympathy tokens. He took one last look at the pile before making his way to the bar.

"I thought you could use a drink," he said hesitantly, his back stiff with tension from the earlier kiss.

The drinks were strong and left everyone with their faces scrunched at the alcoholic burn.

"I thought you said you weren't heavy handed with the liquor, you’ll send me broke," Merlin said with as close to the normal bite of frustration he normally managed, but everyone looked at him anyway.

"This isn't strong enough for me, you frill," Will snorted sloppily from the stool next to Merlin. Gwance didn't say anything, but they also only had a tiny sip of their drinks.

"It's plenty for me, thank you," Freya said, but she pushed it completely full back towards Arthur. "I still have to drive."

She stood up and went to hug Merlin from behind on her way out. "It'll be alright," she said and kissed the side of his head tenderly before leaving.

"I should be going," Arthur confessed as Merlin polished off the drink. "I'll let you all be for the evening."

"Ain't drunk enough yet," Will said. "I still miss him. You pour stronger than Merlin. You should stay. And get me more drunk."

The group fell silent. Arthur broke it by slipping on his jacket and reaching out to cover Merlin's hand with his own. "Call me whenever," he said quietly, then left.

***********************

Will made himself two more drinks. Two too many in Merlin's opinion, but he didn't blame the bloke for it because his drinks nearly knocked him off his feet. Not that he wasn't grateful to have the pain dulled just a bit even with the knowledge that the morning would only bring back the sadness.

"I'll carry him up," Lance said nobly. "Would it be alright to crash here tonight with Gwen? I don't think I can drive at this point."

Merlin nodded and gratefully took a beer that Will had only half-finished.

"You can take Gawain's bed and Will can sleep on mine." At Lance's hesitant expression, he shrugged. "I won't be sleeping tonight. I think I'd like to stay down here."

Lance nodded. Gwen took the empty glasses and placed them carefully into the sink. Will, typically pissed, stumbled drunkenly from his chair.

"I don't need to sleep either, I'll keep you company." Lance saved him from falling onto the floor.

"Will, you go off to bed. I'll come up and sleep on the couch later."

Lance helped Will from the pub. Merlin couldn't move from his spot at the bar.

"You know where we'll be," Gwen said and left carefully, only after turning to smile at Merlin in understanding. He nodded his goodbye.

"I'll miss you," Merlin said and cheered the poster photo with the half-beer, gone warm.

************************

Three beers in and the telephone rang.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Merlin shouted as though it could understand him.

"'Ello," he said carefully into the receiver and was shocked to hear Arthur's calm voice over the line.

"Merlin? Lock the pub door okay?" The calmness in Arthur's voice was eerily steady.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"Just lock the door and make sure you stay inside and safe, okay?"

"Where are you?" Merlin hissed, frustration boiling his insides.

"I'm... don't panic," Arthur said. "I'm in the hospital."

The receiver nearly slipped from Merlin's grip. "What?"

"I have a broken arm," Arthur confessed. "It's nothing serious-"

"A broken arm," Merlin laughed bitterly, "that's pretty fucking serious to me!"

"It was a clean break, I've got a cast on," Arthur said.

"How did you break it?" Merlin asked.

"I... well, I tripped over a log or something," he lied unconvincingly.

"You're lying," Merlin growled. "Tell me the truth."

"It was. It was the client from Morgana's pub deal. She just... came out of no where."

Merlin pitched forward. "Are you sure? Why would she-"

"I don't know Merlin. There's something going on," he said.

"Merlin, please just lock your doors. I don't want them to hurt you."

"I'm coming to the hospital-"

"No!" Arthur shouted. "I want to know you're safe!"

"And I want to know you are too," Merlin hissed. "I can take care of myself."

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-8.gif)


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten:

Merlin was up and out of the door with Gwen's car keys before he even had enough time to realize he'd completely waked out with anger. It was not until he got to the hospital that he realized how hard he was shaking or remembered that he‘d been drinking for hours before hand. Everything felt all too familiar, the panicked voice, the terrible news, reassurances that it would all be alright. He ran his fingers through his hair and inhaled once to steady himself before clambering out of Gwen's tiny Citreon.

The hospital smelled like latex gloves when he rushed through the giant, looming, terribly familiar glass automatic doors. The nurse at the reception easily gave Merlin the information on Arthur's room (maybe she remembered him from last time, but Merlin couldn't bother to think too much on it).

When at last he made it to Arthur's hospital room, he had to take one last breath before pushing his way in.

Arthur was sitting nearly unharmed on a hospital bed. His shirt was wadded up next to him, a spot of blood on one of the sleeves, and his arm was cast with a tight sling supporting the weight.

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice was weak, as though he had been expecting Merlin to show up at any moment.

"I thought you said you only had a broken arm!" Merlin said ruthlessly and motioned violently at the shirt, his anger finally boiling over the edge.

Arthur gave the blood spot a quick sideways glance before shrugging. "I split my lip when I hit the wall."

"You... you hit a wall?!" Merlin asked, loud enough that he was sure that, should anyone be in the room next to them, they heard.

"Yes Merlin, I hit a wall," Arthur deadpanned.

"No, you punched a fucking wall? What, are you that much of a prat that you have to take your frustrations out on something that will beat you back?" Merlin seethed.

"What? That doesn't even make any sense! Why would I call you and ask you to stay home- specifically commanded you to do so- if all I'd done was punch a wall?" Arthur asked.

"Then... someone beat you up?" Merlin asked.

Arthur raised his good hand in exasperation. "That's what I've been trying to tell you if you would have just stopped blabbering on!"

Merlin flinched "I'm glad you weren't hurt badly."

With a fluid motion, Merlin stepped forward, leaned down, and kissed Arthur soundly on the lips. Arthur responded, his free hand somehow finding it's way to Merlin's back where he rested it gently. Merlin pulled away and leaned his forehead against Arthur's, slightly out of breath from the fluttering in his stomach.

"I couldn't bare to lose someone else," Merlin said and Arthur nodded so that Merlin's head bobbed with his.

The fluttering in his stomach died down and Merlin carefully moved onto the bed beside Arthur's good arm. He wrapped himself carefully around him and sighed into Arthur's ear. "I don't have to follow your commands, I'm not your servant," but he laid his head on Arthur's shoulder.

"Doctor says I can go after he gets back with some pain killers.”

"Does it hurt?" Merlin questioned, and went to move away, but Arthur quickly stopped him.

"Nah, I can handle it. I've had worse from bass strings snapping." Merlin laughed into his chest.

They sobered quickly.

"Who did this to you?" Merlin finally asked. He nearly toppled over when Arthur shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I... think maybe I should tell you something," Arthur confessed. "Morgana wants the pub more than ever."

Merlin sat bolt upright and scooted to look Arthur square in the eye. "You're telling me that she did this to you?"

Arthur nodded. That was all Merlin needed for his magic to suddenly swell all the way to his fingertips.

"That fucking bitch," Merlin bit out.

"Hey! She's still my sister! I'm sure she didn't mean to do it-"

"How did she do it? Arthur, how could she have gotten the better of you?" Merlin asked, magic prickling at the deduction he made.

"I... I didn't really think about it-"

"She has _magic_." Merlin shot to his feet, "she has magic and she's using it as a weapon against me."

"But why?" Arthur asked. "How... how can Morgana have... magic?" He said the last word with a bite of disdain.

Merlin glared at him. "Magic is perfectly legal."

"Father doesn't like people who have magic, says it gives them the upper hand in the business world. Do you think he knows Morgana has it?" Arthur asked.

“I can’t let her get away with this. She murdered Gawain,” Merlin snarled, ignroing Arthur’s question, half ready to let his magic explode in any direction it pleased.

“She what?!” Arthur nearly shouted.

“Magic, I could feel it coming from my car the day I went to look at it. And when Morgana came to the pub the other evening I could feel it rolling off of her in waves.”

“You’re accusing her of murder Merlin-”

“How can you be surprised that she’d go to that length even after trying to seriously hurt you?! You’d be daft not to realize that she’s gone mental,” Merlin said, not sparing a moment to consider Arthur’s feelings on the matter, put immediately felt ashamed. “Oh god, I’m sorry Arthur.”

“She’s my sister,” he said quietly. “We had our fights, but... I don’t understand what could make her want to do all of this for a measly pub.”

“I don’t think this is about the pub,” Merlin said, something clicking violently in his mind. “Didn’t you say your father is against people of magic?”

Arthur nodded.

“Maybe it’s not about the pub at all,” Merlin said, but didn’t go on. Arthur sat up straighter on the bed.

The doctor entered boisterously as Merlin went to tell Arthur exactly what he intended to do to Morgana before realizing that might not be the best plan.

Merlin went to kiss Arthur one last time and said gently, "I'm going to go."

"Where-" but Merlin was already racing out of the door and heard the doctor accost Arthur with his final prognosis, twenty four hours of hospital stay due to a concussion. Merlin would have turned around to shout at Arthur for sparing him the details, but found himself preparing to accomplish something far more important.

*********************

It wasn’t hard for Merlin to find Camelot Construction. The building was massive, towering over the other tiny lots around with sparkling windows and sharp modern edges to the roof line. The billboard in front had been painted with a giant castle mimicking the more modern design. A few cows were grazing peacefully in a front lawn the color of tree moss. In the bottom corner he could see the Camelot Construction insignia, a yellow lion on a red placard. Merlin cursed the companies existance a few times under his breath as he let his magic prickle in anticipation of Morgana’s resistance to give in.

When Merlin entered the building it was bright with LED lights. He only took a moment to ponder this, having expected some eerie dark and dank local for someone like Morgana to plot for people's deaths. Then he immediately wondered how outrageous the electricity bill must be if the lights were on every hour, but when he turned to take the stairs-- he'd had too many bad experiences with lift-- he nearly had a heart attack at the darkness in the hallway until the lights clicked on when he entered.

"Motioned sensors," a voice said from above. Damn if Merlin didn't jump that time. "Scared you little man?"

Merlin ran up a flight even as he called out, "Morgana? I need to talk to you. Now."

"Morgana is busy right now," and suddenly the blond woman from the wreckage yard materialized in front of him. Merlin stumbled backwards, hastily grabbing at the railings so he didn't tumble over them and down a story.

"What the hell- who the fuck are you?" Merlin spat, heart beating in his throat.

The woman smiled crookedly, her pink lipstick leaving creases in the cracks of her lips,."Is that really relevant Mr. Emrys?"

"I damn well should think it is! You can't just appear in front of someone and expect them to not ask," Merlin hissed.

"You must be distracted," she said in response and turned. Merlin followed her instinctively. They went up two more flights of stairs, Merlin panting slightly behind her.

"Enough with the games, who are you? Where's Morgana?" Merlin bit out when they entered into a hallway on the fourth floor.

"Morgause, and I'm taking you to her. We've been waiting patiently," Morgause said with a slight trill in her voice.

They walked down the hallway at a brisk pace. The temperature in the room started to swell with Merlin's frustration.

"Control yourself, we don't want anyone else dead," Morgause suddenly snapped and Merlin realized his magic was unwillingly expressing his anger.

She guided him to a room at the end of the hallway adjoining a clear windowed conference room. The placard on the door read ‘Uther Pendragon’. Merlin didn't take a moment before he was barrelling past Morgause and into the room.

He stopped, magic bubbling out again.

"Merlin," Morgana said calmly from a tilted seat. Her legs were crossed and feet resting elegantly on the desk. She was holding a gently smoking martini glass and another sat, untouched, in front of her.

"Have a seat," she said, motioning with her free hand towards the chair in front of her. Merlin seethed.

"You know why I'm here," Merlin said, venom dripping in his voice. "Tell me, why the fuck are you doing this to me?"

Morgana sipped at her martini. Her red lipstick showed through the thin glass and green liquid as she smiled.

"I said sit," Morgana emphasised. She waved her hand and before Merlin could even know what happened the chair had shot behind him and pushed hard into the back of his legs so that he had to collapse backwards onto it.

"You," Merlin hissed, his magic about to push itself towards her until he reined it in. He couldn't imagine hurting someone with what his uncle had insisted was only intended for good.

"Me," Morgana said smirking as though she had practiced in front of the mirror for hours, "and you. Drink your martini. I swear, it's not poisoned. Though I was sorely tempted."

Merlin glared at her. "What do you want from me?"

Morgana uncrossed her legs and slid them off the table. She set the martini glass in front of her and twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

"I'm sure you realize that I have magic... unless you're more of an idiot than I give you credit for-"

"Don't fuck around, I have a serious mind to... to..."

"To what Merlin? Kill me?" Morgana laughed. "We both know you're too soft for that."

Merlin leaned forward and flicked the martini glass in front of her against the side wall with a simple focus of his magic to ensure that Morgana took him as a seriously threat. "You don't know anything about me."

"Well, well," Morgana said, another manic laugh escaping her. "Looks like we both have our family secrets."

"I'm not ashamed of it," Merlin countered.

"That I"m sure you're not," Morgana replied. "But not all of us have an uncle who hides magical texts in an underground library."

The air in the room pitched higher in temperature as heat rose in Merlin's cheeks. "You're the one who tried to ruin his life's work?"

"Oh Merlin, I didn't try to do anything. If I wanted them ruined I would have done so. No, that was just my simple challenge to you,"she smiled again. "It's nothing personal."

"How is that not personal," Merlin suddenly shouted. "You cursed my car. You killed my cousin."

"An unfortunate accident-"

"An accident?! You wanted me dead, my cousin was just an accident in your little scheme?" Merlin yelled. He shot from his seat with a combination of physical exertion and magical shove so that the chair flew backwards against the door behind him. He took a brief moment to ensure that it locked in place under the door handle.

“There’s something you should know about me Merlin,” Morgana said, not unkindly. “When I want something done, I don’t do it half arsed.”

Merlin took a moment to ponder this. “So... you did mean to kill Gawain then?”

She shook her head, the wild grin briefly turning down into a frown, “you misunderstand me. I had no intention of killing your cousin, but I did have Morgause curse your car.”

“That doesn’t justify anything,” Merlin said. “You’re still a murderer.”

Slowly, Morgana folded her arms in front of her. “If it makes you feel any better I was only trying to seriously injure you.”

Merlin snapped. He could feel his magic sweep down on Morgana. She shrieked once and then Morgause was suddenly in the room pinning Merlin against the wall a wave of her thin hand.

“Sister?” Morgause asked carefully.

“I’m alright,” Morgana said, catching her breath from the floor of the office. “He stopped himself before you came in.”

Morgause hesitated doubtfully for a moment and then looked Merlin up and down once before turning away and releasing him at the same time.

“Siblings in murderous action,” Merlin said once Morgana had re-sat on the chair and finished taking in deep breaths.

“Shut up,” Morgana snapped and snatched the martini that she had previously given to Merlin. She took a deep pull and then glared at Merlin.

“You, with your magic tricks,” she said. Morgause shot a glare over her shoulder at Merlin. She made her way around the desk and stood behind Morgana, a fierce look in her eye.

“They’re not tricks,” Merlin said defensively. Morgana shrugged.

“You learnt them from books and an old man retired from his ridiculous magic charades decades before you were even born,” Morgana hissed.

“Charades?” Merlin asked, drawing on patience so that his magic wouldn’t overcome him again and knock them both out of the window they sat in front of.

Morgause laughed, surprising Merlin into looking at her.

“You honestly didn’t know?” she asked and looked to Morgana, who nodded once, before continuing. “Your ‘honorable uncle’ was a doctor-”

“I was aware,” Merlin’s voice shook with anger, failing to understand why she would bring that fact to the forefront.

Morgause shot him a scathing glare. “Don’t make me force you to listen boy. You’re uncle wasn’t any doctor. Old man Gaius was the creator and administer of potions for magic.”

His jaw fell unwillingly open. He refused to believe this stranger, but just as he was about to start up in defense, Morgana cleared her throat.

“I was born with magic,” she said, “but when Uther adopted me he hired Gaius to create a ‘cure’-”

“But there is no cure,” Merlin said, suddenly sure that they were lying. “Gaius told me so himself!”

“No, there isn’t, but he managed to invent a potion that suppresses magic,” she said, eyes going half lidded with anger. “I was forced to live a life of lies because of your uncle and my father working together to sabotage those with magic.”

“But... I have magic,” Merlin said, the shock of the matter weighing him down. “He taught me everything I know about it. He taught me-”

“He was a liar,” Morgana shrieked. Morgause put a hand on her shoulder. “He cannot repent for the years of lies he fed me simply by teaching you of magic! My father hates me for who I am and Gaius allowed it!”

“I’m sorry,” Merlin whispered, and meant it. Having grown up using magic all his life he simply couldn’t place himself in Morgana’s shoes and imagine a life where those who were closest to him forced his magic away and lied.

“You’ve lived a life of bliss Merlin. You were allowed to be who you were born to be. I was not, and your uncle is to blame!”

“That’s what this is about?! Revenge? What is that going to solve?” Morgana rose from her chair.

“Revenge solves nothing,” she said, “but defeat solves everything. And Merlin, I repeat myself, I do not do things half-arsed.”

“You should have come to me, I could have tried to help,” Merlin whispered, stuck between a terrible medium of raged and pitty. “You didn’t have to do all those things.”

Morgana laughed. Morgause remained stone-faced behind her.

“You’re not my friend Merlin. You don’t know what it’s like,” she said, the loathing clear in her voice. “You don’t know what it’s like to be forced to live a life you weren’t supposed to. No, it’s too late. I’m going to take the pub down and destroy what Gaius has created.” She paused a moment, “everything.”

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-8.gif)


	11. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Eleven:

Arthur escaped the evil clutches of an overly concerned doctor late in the night. His father wouldn’t be happy, but Arthur couldn’t be bothered with that. He’d rang Merlin three times already and had yet to hear from him. Each time the cell went to voicemail he made sure to curse as he hung up. Not that it helped any.

When he arrived at the pub - having changed into the only clothes he had on him aside from the loose-backed gown the hospital had forced him into - he shivered his way up to the apartment and knocked with his free hand until his knuckles cracked open and Will had opened the door holding a baseball bat.

“Fucking hell,” Will hissed as though the incessant pounding hadn’t woken anyone. “You’ve a lot of nerve. What happened to you?” Will stood on his tip toes to see over Arthur’s shoulder. “Where’s Merlin?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Will shook his head and turned to go to the phone, leaving the door open in an unofficial invitation for Arthur to enter, which he did only reluctantly. Gwen was standing in the doorframe to the bedroom and Lance had sat himself down on the couch. When Arthur caught his eye he also shook his head.

“He’s not picking up,” Will said from the phone as he redialed.

Arthur paced back and forth for a few moments before it dawned on him that Merlin had probably done exactly the opposite of what Arthur had asked him to do. He sighed in exasperation.

“I know where he is,” Arthur said. “Is he always so disobedient?”

Lance laughed nervously and Gwen chirped unhelpfully, “always.”

Arthur left without a word. He could hear Will close on his heels as he descended the stairs and turned to address him, “he’s at my father’s firm. Probably confronting Morgana-”

“You know something,” Will accused, his voice colder than the night air. “You know what’s going on, why Merlin’s gone so ballistic these last few days.”

Arthur didn’t say anything. He pulled his damaged arm closer to his chest and shivered.

He was just clearing his throat when Will’s fist flew hard into his cheek. Arthur stumbled sideways, trying desperately to regain his footing so he could avoid falling on his injured arm.

“You good for nothing bastard,” Will shouted. Arthur’s ears rang from the blow, but he could hear Gwen yelling and Lance’s loud footfalls as he ran down the stairs.

“Are you alright?” Lance asked as he helped Arthur right himself and when Arthur nodded in affirmation Lance turned to Will. “What the fuck Will?!”

Will sneered at Arthur. “Ever since you’ve come around with your sister things have gone to shite.”

Arthur straightened his shirt and sling and rubbed carefully at the delicate spot on his cheek. “I didn’t do anything!”

Will’s face went bright red in the dull light from the apartment. “You fucked with Merlin! You showed your sister how to fuck with him.”

Arthur carefully pulled away from Lance’s tightening grip. “I didn’t want it to be this way. I wanted to help. With the pub- with everything.”

“Yeah well, you’ve blotched that up,” Will snapped, his tongue twisting on the words.

Gwen had come down and was putting a hand on Will’s shoulder when Arthur’s mobile phone buzzed against his thigh. He scrabbled to grab it and nearly dropped it in the process. But when he finally put it to his ears without bothering to check his caller ID he was surprised when the voice that responded to his desperate cry of ‘Merlin’ was actually Morgana.

“I’m assuming you’re looking for someone,” Morgana said coldly. “He came to threaten me tonight about his scuzzy pub. I thought I should let you know that despite the fact you expect me to back off I won’t. And I won’t allow you to get in my way Arthur. I hope you can bring that idiot around.” And she clicked off the phone.

Arthur let his hand fall to his side. He met Will’s eyes calmly but said as firmly as possible, “I’m going to help whether you like it or not.” He spun on his heels.

****************

Merlin was sitting on the curb outside of Camelot Construction when Arthur pulled into the car park. He had his legs curled up and arms wrapped around his knees.

Arthur wasn’t sure how he wanted to go about handling the situation, but after a deep breath he found himself climbing from his car and ambling silently to Merlin’s side. He sat down next to him with enough space that Merlin could swing an arm without striking him.

“Hey,” Merlin whispered into his knees. His voice shook. Arthur leaned back on his good palm and sighed.

“Hey,” he replied.

They sat in silence for a few minutes and then Merlin scooted quickly flush against Arthur’s side. His skin was cold and he shivered when it came in contact with Arthur’s.

Arthur didn’t move. He waited patiently as Merlin shivered and shivered until he finally said, “aren’t you angry?”

Arthur nodded, knowing well that Merlin could feel the movement.

“Say something,” Merlin bit out. “Tell me why.”

And even though Arthur knew he was itching to fight, he took the bait and said angrily, “you shouldn’t have confronted her alone knowing what she’s capable of.”

Merlin laughed suddenly. He laughed in a way that made Arthur’s chest ache for him. As abruptly as it had started Merlin stopped and said sourly, “I can protect myself and everyone else.” He pushed off from Arthur’s side and went straight to his car. Arthur watched after him for a moment before following. The entire ride to the pub Merlin remained stony silent.

They arrived at the pub none too soon in Arthur’s opinion. Merlin had been sulking silently and Arthur’s skin prickled with irritation that he was the one angry after everything that happened. Throwing the car into park Merlin didn’t even wait for the final roll of the tires from moving to parked to jump from the vehicle and storm his way into the pub.

Arthur sucked in a frustrated breath and rubbed his eyes until he saw white spots. He wanted to scream at someone and at the moment Merlin was the only person he knew close enough, so instead he took out his mobile and dialed Morgana’s number. It went straight to voicemail. He clicked the off button viciously and only barely stopped himself from chucking the damned thing against the floor mat.

Arthur closed his eyes, promising himself he would get out of the car after a few minutes, but next he knew when he woke it had been over two hours. He sighed one last time and got out, shivered once at the cold and made his way to the pub somehow knowing that Merlin would be in there rather than the apartment.

He was proven right when he walked in to a slumped Merlin in the booth right next to the door. In front of him was a half empty bottle of vodka and on the floor several cans of energy drink.

“Oh, ‘s you,” Merlin slurred as though he had been expecting someone famous to walk through the pub doors at such an ungodly hour.

Arthur sat carefully across from him as though trying not to spook a wild animal. “Yeah, it’s only me.”

Merlin laughed and then hiccuped, “’uch a prat.”

“That I am,” Arthur agreed. He pushed the bottle of vodka away from Merlin as slyly as possible. “You’re drunk, I’m a prat. It’s quiet the terrible predicament we’ve got ourselves in.”

Merlin leaned forward. He blinked slowly, head swaying as he said, “fuck off.”

“Fuck off?” Arthur snapped, the boiling frustration from earlier reaching a new peak. “I’m trying to bloody help you. You’re such a sodding stubborn fool.”

Merlin nodded drunkenly, “yeah, so fuck off and leave this sodding fool in peace.”

Arthur took the bottle of vodka and slammed it in front of Merlin’s face, “drink yourself to death then for all I care.”

“Exactly,” Merlin shouted, suddenly sounding more sober than his shaky movements showed. “You don’t actually care,” he laughed. “You’re such a liar. I should have known it.”

Arthur watched in astonishment as Merlin took a giant gulp of vodka directly from the bottle and let gravity do the vast majority of the work of setting it back down.

“You’re going to break it and then cut yourself,” Arthur said, the anger dissipating as quickly as it had overwhelmed him.

“Don’t act like you care now,” Merlin said and lifted a finger. He pointed it at Arthur’s face, but it swayed from side to side as he tried to stare down it’s length.

“I do care. You just won’t let yourself accept that,” Arthur said calmly and slid the bottle away again. It was considerably lighter from before, but he chose to ignore that as he carefully lowered Merlin’s hand with his own.

Merlin stared down at their touching skin and swallowed as though he were dying of thirst.

“You’re just like the rest of them,” Merlin said, still unmoving. Arthur could feel his fingers twitch beneath his own and knew that Merlin was considering pulling away, but the fact he hadn’t done so yet told him a lot about the conflict he was probably feeling.

“The rest?” Arthur asked softly.

“Yeah,” and then he finally pulled his hand out from under Arthur’s. He tucked it under the table and diverted his eyes. “All the others who I’ve dated. They get bored of me after a while. Throw me away like trash and don’t think twice about it. I’m not even worth a second thought.”

Arthur sat back in his chair, the whole emotional bit had always been hard for him despite the fact that he had spent his entire adult life trying to learn how to not be like his father for the sake of his own happiness and those around him. He wouldn’t have even picked up on the bass if it wouldn’t have been for his father’s strict business outlook on every detail of reality.

“Merlin, I’m not going to get bored. I’ve been coming here, playing in this pub long enough to know that I wouldn’t ever be sick of you. Unless you go on like this, not accepting my offerings of assistance and ignoring the challenges you’re going to face.”

Merlin finally met his eyes, mouth falling open in clear, astonished anger. He finally snapped it shut and glared at Arthur until he had to fidget. “I have been facing the challenges. I saw Morgana tonight and told her to bugger off-”

“- without any help! You could have been hurt,” Arthur carefully moved his injured arm to draw Merlin’s attention to the damage already done and returned the glare. “You think she’d really spare you after she’d already tried to seriously hurt me?”

Merlin shook his head, “I don’t need a knight in shining armour. I can take care it.” He reached for the bottle of vodka, but Arthur slid it further away and pushed his hand back.

“You may not need one, but maybe you’d like one,” Arthur said, suddenly feeling very possessive over Merlin. He stood abruptly and went around the table to manhandle Merlin into the best standing position he could manage. “It’s time for you to go to bed.”

Merlin grumbled and struggled, but he wasn’t a match sober, much less alone and tipsy given his scrawny size. Arthur easily dragged him up the stairs, only breaking the flood light in the process, and into his flat. By the time they’d gotten there Merlin had tired himself out fighting and immediately collapsed on the couch. Will poked his head about the corner of one of the doors.

“He alright?” Will asked, not a single ounce of irritation in the tone of his voice. It took Arthur a moment to get over that shock as he nodded. Will disappeared again and when he came back he had a thick fleece blanket.

“Gawain’s,” Will said as explanation and tossed it on top of Merlin so that a corner rested against his nose. Merlin mumbled something and buried himself further underneath it.

“They were close weren’t then?” Arthur asked, eyes locked on Merlin’s sleeping - or rather passed out - form that was barely noticeable under the massive expanse of blanket.

“They were family as well as best mates,” Will responded and disappeared into the room again.

Arthur leaned down and adjusted the blanket so that it was perfectly tucked under Merlin’s light body.

And then he found himself unable to stand staring at his sleeping face, eyelashes perfectly dark against pale tired skin, a frown so prevalent on Merlin’s face that Arthur couldn’t help but mirror it with one of his own.

Tonight had been so bizarre and Arthur hadn’t even had the opportunity to sit down and think about it. His own sister... he scrunched up his nose and turned to leave.

“Arthur,” Will’s voice said quietly from the door frame. Arthur spun to look at him, not having noticed he’d been there. “You’re not half bad, but if you hurt him, rest assured, there are many who love him and will kill you.”

Arthur smiled. “Is that your approval?”

Will turned and said simultaneously, “prick.”

Arthur allowed one last look at Merlin’s sleeping form and then he left, only barely finding his way back to the pub in the sudden darkness.

It didn’t take much thought for Arthur to realise he wanted to stand in Merlin’s garden and see exactly what Merlin was capable of. When he got there it suddenly dawned on him that Merlin had risked his life to see Morgana and wouldn’t have had the personal strength to defend himself by hurting her. Merlin wasn’t capable of that even if he thought he was.

Morgana, on the other hand, was more concerned about her own self worth than anyone else’s. She had proven that when she’d come out at Arthur in the dark and threatened him with death should he involve himself further, and when he’d refused it had ended at a broken arm and mild bruise on his head, only because someone had managed to walk by at that very moment.

He rubbed his eyes again, certain that he’d end up bruising them too if he kept up. No, Merlin didn’t deserve this even if Morgana was of magic and had been hiding it her entire life. It wasn’t Merlin’s fault. How could it be when he could do - and then it dawned on Arthur - Merlin was of magic too. Merlin had to have learned to use his magic somehow. Arthur could almost literally see light bulbs flicker on in his peripheral vision. Merlin had learned from Gaius! Merlin had been taught by Gaius and Morgana had been reassured that her strangely vivid dreams and random accidents around her were nothing. Gaius had been lying to her all her life!

“Shit,” Arthur hissed and could have sworn he felt the plants shudder at his seething anger.

A few of the plants waved at him faintly and he had to blink several times to realise they really were moving of their own accord. He approached them carefully and ran his fingertips over the shivering leaves. He felt a warmth spread through his fingers and down to his toes. Merlin’s magic. It felt amazing, sliding up his arms and down his back like warm water.

He bit his lip and realized with sudden clarity that Merlin’s magic was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced and he only felt safe practicing it here which meant... well, it meant that Arthur had to do whatever it would take to save the pub so that he could see Merlin happy again. Simple enough. Arthur laughed out loud. Clarity was freeing.

****************

Merlin was still passed out on the couch when Arthur entered the flat again, too exhausted to drive himself home after everything. He’d been in the garden for hours, but Merlin hadn’t even moved from where he’d collapsed. Arthur allowed the corners of his lips to tilt up when Merlin suddenly let out a loud snore.

“You’re a fool,” Arthur whispered in his best attempt at affection. Merlin stirred and blinked his eyes open.

“Whachu say?” he slurred and gave Arthur a half lidded glare.

“I asked, do you want to move to your bed?” Merlin pondered the question and then nodded. He went to sit up. Arthur rushed to his side, but Merlin only shrugged his hand off his arm with a loud sound of disapproval.

“I can manage,” he said bitterly and only barely untangled himself from the blanket. Arthur followed him like a shadow into his room and watched as he flopped ungracefully onto his bed.

He was about to turn and leave when Merlin said, “I don’t wanna be alone tonight.”

Slowly, he turned to look at him and Merlin’s expression was entirely sincere. “I don’t want to-”

“-You don’t have to,” Arthur hurried to say and quickly went to his side. He sat down on the bed. “I can stay until you fall asleep.”

Merlin nodded against the pillows, eyes slowly closing.

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-9.gif)


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve:

Arthur woke with his head smashed awkwardly against a cloth headboard. He wasn’t used to waking up with kinks in his neck from awkwardly shaped beds and headboards, but then he remembered that he had been sitting on Merlin’s bed and… and had fallen asleep.

He shot up in the bed only to find that Merlin was still asleep next to him, fully clothed - thank heaven - and snoring lightly with his mouth hanging open in the most unattractive position Arthur had ever seen a man. Somehow he still managed to look adorable and Arthur only just barely stopped himself from patting his head.

Instead, he shook Merlin’s shoulder until he finally cracked one eye open with a sound as though he were dying.

“Wha?” he asked, a sliver of his eye the only thing indicated that he wasn’t talking in his sleep.

“Aren’t you going to get up,” Arthur asked with a slight smile, “pub needs cleaning after your escapades last night.

Merlin closed his eyes again and turned his face away, “prat, get out of my bed.”

Arthur complied and went into the kitchen. There wasn’t much food to forage in his kitchen, but he managed to scrounge together a few pieces of toast, a glass of orange juice, and a piece of fruit. It was a pitiful combination, but the best he could manage with such meager grazing. The toaster protested loudly and he ended up spending an ungodly amount of time attempting to fix it until finally he found a pan to grill the bread on.

By the time he had finished and was bringing the plate to Merlin’s room-- who would argue against breakfast in bed with a massive hangover?-- Merlin had already left. The bed was unmade and his pajamas were thrown haphazardly onto the floor.

“He’s gone where he always does now,” Will said from the doorway. Arthur barely managed to prevent himself from spilling in his haste to turn around.

“You have a tendency to sneak up on people when you’re not blundering about drunk,” Arthur said, carefully slowing the swaying of the orange juice in the cup.

“You have a tendency to exist when other’s don’t want you to,” Will snapped and left with a grumpy ‘humph’.

Arthur found Merlin sitting next to the car in the parkway. He was rubbing painfully at his eyes and when Arthur sat down slowly beside him and offered the food he took it without a word. A few bights in and he finally said in a stony voice, “I know what happened. How she killed him.”

Slowly, Arthur nodded so that he knew Merlin could see. They sat in silence as he finished the small amount of food Arthur had pieced together.

“Morgana has magic,” Merlin said as way of introducing the problem at hand after he swallowed the last piece of toast.

“Yeah,” Arthur responded.

“I need to stop Morgana and Morgause.” Merlin shifted so that his back rested against the remnants of his car. He wrapped his arms around his legs again, exactly as he’d done the night before.

“How are you going to do that?” Arthur asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to hurt them. Morgana- I know she’s not evil-”

“-So do I.”

“Morgause must have done something to convince her that these extreme actions were necessary. Morgause is the one who needs to be taken out,” Merlin said as though he’d just reached a revelation.

“And how do you suppose you’ll go about doing that?” Arthur asked, hesitant to hear the answer.

Merlin sighed weakly, “I can’t use magic against them. It goes against all of my morals.”

“Morals,” he laughed. “Morals aren’t necessarily applicable to this situation.”

Merlin gave him a death glare. “You can talk. You refused to take my car from a scrapheap past their closing hour.”

“That was chivalry, there’s a difference,” Arthur said, smiling at him.

“Whatever,” Merlin said, clearly forcing a smile off his face.

Arthur leaned against the car. By the time his shirt had touched the metal he’d suddenly thought of an idea. Damn, ideas were coming non stop for him lately!

He stood up in his excitement, his vision going briefly dark from rising too fast. “I think I’ve got an idea!”

“Rare,” Merlin said testily and stood up too, taking a moment to brush off his trousers.

“I can’t tell you though. Well, not yet anyway,” he said. “Do you trust me?”

Merlin gave him a sceptical look, but he nodded after a few heart clenching moments and, biting his lip said, “I think I actually do.”

Arthur reached out to grab his elbow. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to the corner of Merlin’s mouth, where the frown line was beginning to show from the past few weeks.

“I’ll be back,” he gave Merlin’s elbow one last squeeze.

*********************

Morgana came into the room holding her typical cup of coffee. Arthur had to stop himself from shouting at her when he saw her smug expression.

“Arthur,” she said, as though she hadn’t hurt him or couldn’t see the sling still supporting his injured arm.

“Morgana,” he nodded in greeting. She made her way around the table in slow motion, clearly trying to take control of the situation and Arthur easily let her.

“Is there something you need?” she asked. Arthur leaned forward in his seat and put his good arm onto the desk as professionally as possible.

“I have something I’d like to offer to do for you,” he said and waited for her to nod for him to continue before he said, “I’d like to convince Merlin to sell Camelot Construction the pub.”

Morgana masked her surprise with a tiny cough to clear her throat and hide her surprise. “And why would you like to do so?”

“I’m tired of the pub. The whole bass and gig thing is getting old,” Arthur said, waving his hand dismissively. “Besides, Merlin has done nothing but lead me on.”

Morgana’s eyebrows shot up. “Lead you on? You’re telling me you’ve had a thing for him before and now it’s done?”

“It never started,” Arthur replied.

“Well,” Morgana crossed her arms and pressed her lips into a thin line. “That sounds like the ideal arrangement. What’s the catch?”

“I’m not father,” he said with just the right amount of annoyance. “I don’t make plans only for them to involve some sort of blackmail.”

With a single look of calculation Morgana smiled and extended her hand. “Deal.” They shook on it and Arthur flinched at her cold-fingered grip.

*********************

When Arthur entered into the pub Merlin was cleaning the counter in quick, irritated wiping motions. He mumbled as he did so and flinched when Arthur announced his presence with a single loud grunt.

“Close the pub,” Arthur said and then realized how rude that sounded. A bit more gently he said, “Merlin, will you close the pub tonight?”

“For what?” Merlin asked and tossed the rag into the sink. He pulled out a plastic container filled with bottle stops and began unscrewing lids only to push a stopper in immediately afterwards.

“You’ve got to come with me,” Arthur said, “it’s important.”

“I can’t afford to have it closed,” Merlin said, irritation clear in his voice and sharp movements.

“I’ll run it tonight,” Freya said. Arthur hadn’t even seen her in the corner of the bar, but she sounded confident enough.

“You can’t possibly run it on your own. It’s poker evening at the restaurant down the street. You know how busy we get,” Merlin replied and continued to put bottle stops on.

“Merlin,” Arthur grouched, “it’s important.”

“You sound like a pesky five year old,” Merlin said without looking up. “And I don’t like children.”

“Really,” Freya interjected, “I can handle it. Besides, Gwance is meant to be coming in a bit later on and Will’s right upstairs.”

Merlin stopped and looked at her. “You’ve gotten as bad as him,” but he stepped back and brushed his fingers through his hair in resignation.

“It’s important?” he asked Arthur.

“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t.”

****************

It wasn’t until they arrived at Camelot Construction that Arthur realized his mistake. Merlin didn’t say anything until he had dragged him nearly kicking and shouting into the building.

“Merlin, you need to trust me. I need you to trust me,” Arthur hissed as they made it to the office.

“I hate you,” Merlin said and turned to leave. “You’ve turned against me. I should have known.”

Arthur grabbed him by the sleeve of his shirt and pulled him into the office.

At the desk, Morgana was sitting, legs crossed tightly and a giant mug of coffee in front of her, her lips spread into a wicked smile. “Hello boys.”

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-9.gif)


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen:

“You see Merlin, I always get what I want,” she said, stood to shake Arthur’s hand and went to extend it to Merlin, but he turned his face away, hoping that she would get the message.

Morgana only smiled. She motioned for them to sit. Arthur smiled and plopped heavily onto the seat. Merlin gave him a glare and followed suite.

“Merlin,” Morgana said, once she had settled herself into the office desk. “Arthur has come to me with a proposal. I have agreed to it and you should consider doing it yourself.”

Merlin shook his head, “Arthur has no authority over my pub.”

“And yet he’s put together a lucrative plan,” Morgana gave Arthur a raised eyebrow. “Arthur, the paperwork please.”

Arthur pulled a folded-up chunk of papers from his back pocket after readjusting in his seat. “You only have to sign and date. It’s as we discussed.”

Morgana nodded and pulled out a pen from the desk drawer. She signed the line Arthur pointed at without reading the material and quickly passed it to Merlin.

Merlin glared at Arthur, but when he picked up the pen Arthur leaned over and said in his ear, “just sign it and trust me.”

“Act of faith,” Merlin whispered back and scribbled his signature and the date across the line.

Arthur snatched the paper and signed himself saying quickly, “I’m a witness.”

Morgana clicked on her fax machine and copied it. The dialing signaling a fax machine beeped a few times and then clicked in ending.

Morgana leaned back, satisfied, “I suppose it’s settled then. You see Merlin, I always get what I want.”

“It is,” Arthur said, smiling. “It’s settled that you’ll be leaving the pub in it’s current state while funding only during emergencies as a co-owner.”

Morgana’s jaw fell open with an audible gasp.

“That’s right,” Arthur said, shooting to a standing position. Merlin blinked at his back. “Dad taught you better than to sign something you haven’t read through five times.”

Morgana swiped at the papers on the desk. “How dare you!” she shrieked. “How _dare_ you!”

Merlin sat further into his seat and looked to Arthur aghast. Arthur winked.

“How dare you!” Morgana shrieked at an entirely new level. Morgause suddenly entered the room, raising her hand as though she were going to do magic. Merlin swiveled in his chair, closed his eyes and whispered a quick incantation that pushed Morgause backwards.

Morgana shouted something behind them, but Merlin was already standing up to grab Arthur’s arm and drag him from the room. The building trembled as they bolted down the stairs. Merlin heard the walls cracking and nearly pushed Arthur down the last flight in his haste to exit the building.

They had barely made it a hundred feet before the entire thing collapsed on it’s foundation, crumbling so quickly that the ground shook beneath their feet and the particles from the wood and glass came flying without warning towards them in a massive cloud of white. It pushed them to the ground with it’s force, momentarily knocking the air from Merlin’s lungs.

“Merlin?” Arthur’s voice said once the rumbling had silenced. “Are you alright?”

Merlin coughed, and wiped dust from his face. He hadn’t had time to stop the oncoming cloud and so the backs of both of their arms were cut from tiny shards of glass, but Arthur was carefully leaning over with a ripped piece of shirt to wipe at the tiny flecks of blood spotting Merlin’s skin.

“What happened?” a voice called from across the parking area.

Arthur turned and shouted something that Merlin didn’t catch as he suddenly realized that Morgana and Morgause were in the rubble.

“They’re still in there,” Merlin nearly shouted, tugging at Arthur’s sleeve while standing. “ _They’re still in there!_ We have to help them!”

Arthur looked between Merlin, the collapsed building and the person shouting from the car park. It only took him a single moment to turn and rush towards the debris, Merlin close on his heels.

“I’ll call for help,” the person yelled, as they started digging in the pile with their bare hands, ignoring the cuts from glass and poking from metal. Merlin hissed as a piece of glass sliced into his hand and blood began dripping down his arm.

They had barely made it a few feet when the fire engines began showing up followed by several ambulance vehicles and police cars.

“Gentlemen,” a voice said, stopping them mid shove of a particularly large slab of dry wall. “How many people were in the building?”

“My sister,” Arthur said, voice straining. He coughed to clear it. “My sister and another woman.”

“I realize that you’re concerned for her well being,” the firefighter said, “but you should step back and allow us to use the proper tools to help her.”

Arthur nodded, face stricken with grief that Merlin hadn’t seen on him before. The firefighter waved at a group of paramedics. They stepped forward and gripped their shoulders, guiding them as though they might be broken to the ambulance vehicle. Arthur’s eye’s never left the rubble.

Hours later, seven recountings, two phone calls from Uther and entire bandages across various parts of the body, Arthur and Merlin were given the news that no bodies had been recovered in the rubble and that the searching would continue until everything was properly examined to find what had caused the sudden accident.

They got into Arthur’s car, Merlin had offered to drive without a single ounce of resistance from Arthur who handed over the keys without a word.

“My father’s company is ruined,” Arthur said. “Who would want a contractor that has office buildings crumble?”

“It wasn’t natural,” Merlin reassured for lack of anything else to say. “They’ll publicly announce that it was a magical cause of collapse and it’ll be easily redeemed.”

Arthur’s laugh was hollow, “you really think my father will be okay with having magic associations?”

“I suppose not,” Merlin shrugged, “given the fact that he drugged your sister for so many years.”

“He didn’t drug her, Gaius did,” Arthur bit out, “I understand why she would be so bitter.”

Merlin paused, allowing the car to slow down immensely, “you’re saying it’s acceptable that she did that to my family?”

“No,” Arthur said, “I’m saying I understand why she would.”

“Right,” Merlin bit out, “and you understand why she would kill my cousin in her attempt to hurt me even though neither of us had anything to do with it?”

Arthur sighed heavily, Merlin had to pull his eyes from the road to look at him. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just lost my sister alright?”

Merlin felt his anger suddenly deflate. “She’s not dead if that’s what you mean,” he said. “They didn’t find anything. They probably used magic to save themselves.”

“Right,” Arthur said, “I forgot that she has that.”

Merlin let his hand fall to Arthur’s knee. He squeezed it gently and waited for Arthur’s hand to cover his own.

*******************

“I just realized something,” Merlin said when they finally arrived at the pub and parked Arthur’s car.

“That would be?” Arthur asked a bit distant.

“The pub isn’t in danger any longer, for the first time in decades we don’t have to worry about it shutting down.”

“We,” Arthur asked, turning to face Merlin in the cramped quarters.

“Well,” Merlin said, face going hot with embarrassment. “I figured you wouldn’t mind if I invite you to come along for the ride every so often.”

“What ride would that be?” Arthur’s grin warranted no answer, aside from Merlin’s lips against his own.

Merlin was just getting into it when Arthur pulled away only slightly.

“You know it’s illegal to have such sharp cheekbones,” Arthur said, lips running parallel to Merlin’s chin and tracing up to the jut of cheekbone.

“No it’s not, I study law, I would know.”

“Well it should be, because it’s too damn hot,” but Arthur pulled away entirely after only one last soft peck of a kiss.

“Can I call you?” Arthur asked.

“What? What do you mean?” a cold ball of nervousness welled in Merlin’s chest.

“I... I just can’t do this right now. What with everything happening and such,” Arthur replied, rubbing at his eyes in a way that Merlin had grown to realize meant he was stressed more than tired.

“Come up to the garden with me,” Merlin said in lieu of an answer.

“And do what?”

“You’ve been there, you know how it feels right?” Arthur hesitated to nod. “Then trust me.”

Merlin jumped from the car and raced to Arthur’s door. He opened it and reached delicately for Arthur, broken in much the same way he was, but ready to help as much as they both needed it. Together they went up to the garden, hand in hand. The magic prickled through their fingers and Merlin was pretty sure he saw a few tomatoes instantly ripen out of the corner of his eye.

[](http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/THEpowerOFme/LJ%20graphics/?action=view&%3Bcurrent=plant-growing-10.gif)

The End


End file.
